Edgar Degas (1834–1917) was one of the first artists collected by the American industrialist, philanthropist, and art collector Norton Simon (1907–1993). Over the course of nearly three decades of art acquisition, Simon purchased more than a hundred works by Degas, including paintings, bronzes, and pastels. This comprehensive and beautiful collections catalogue of the artworks by Degas now housed in the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, California, offers not only a fascinating insight into the evolution of Simon's extensive and remarkable collection of pieces by the French impressionist, but also a descriptive and informative account of the current collection prepared by leading Degas scholars.


Collector without Walls

by Sara Campbell

Published 5 January 2010

The American art collector Norton Simon assembled his astonishing collection of more than 8,000 artworks in just thirty-five years. In 1966, with no permanent home for the growing collection, Simon created his “museum without walls” program—lending works to American museums—which continued until 1974, when his collection was housed in the Norton Simon Museum in Pasadena, today considered one of the finest museums in the United States.

This beautiful book gives the history of Simon’s art collection, including the most interesting acquisitions and deaccessions. It describes Simon’s early life and business career, chronicles the collection’s development until his last purchase in 1989, and analyzes the collection and the collector. A fully illustrated catalogue of artworks, including those deaccessioned, completes the account. The book draws from the archives of the Norton Simon Museum and transcripts of interviews with friends, colleagues, art dealers, and museum professionals, as well as unpublished writings by Norton Simon.



Distributed for The Norton Simon Art Foundation