The Winter Show Awed Manhattan with Fine Art & Jewelry
By Claude Solnik
What’s your favorite Manhattan location to see a wonderful collection of artwork by some of the world’s masters? Is it the Museum of Modern Art, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Whitney, Guggenheim, or one of the many Manhattan art galleries that attract collectors?
If you like to see hundreds of works of art, including paintings, sculptures, jewelry, and other crafts, under one roof, you may choose a temporary art show that transforms a building into a momentary, monumental museum.
The 71st Winter Show was a massive art fair that converted the Park Avenue Armory into one of Manhattan’s premier makeshift museums. It showcased Wyeth, Sargent, and many other masters in a space that temporarily functioned as a gigantic gallery.
New York City continued to hold one of the art world’s most significant traditions by hosting the 71st Winter Show at the historic Park Avenue Armory, held from January 24 to February 2, 2025.
This year, the show, which benefits the East Side House Settlement, featured over 70 international dealers. It showcased museum-quality works in fine and decorative arts, antiques, jewelry, and design.
“The show is a celebration of our shared dedication to art, education, and their transformative power,” said Winter Show Executive Director Helen Allen.
The Adelson Galleries in New York, managed by Alan and Georgia Adelson, have been participating in shows for decades, presenting the work of some of the world’s best-known artists.
“Participating in The Winter Show is a meaningful opportunity for Adelson Galleries,” said Alan Adelson, director of Adelson Galleries, New York. “We present a curated selection of paintings by American masters such as John Singer Sargent and Andrew Wyeth—artists whose works embody the spirit and sentiment of their respective eras.”
Adelson said the artwork at once provides beauty and history as exceptional examples of art done over the ages.
“These pieces transcend visual appeal, offering viewers a profound connection to history,” Adelson said. “Sharing them in this setting enables us to engage with collectors and art enthusiasts who value the enduring legacy of great art.”
The show, previously called The Winter Antique Show, highlights historic artworks and offers a chance to showcase paintings alongside other historically significant pieces.
Founded in 1954, the Winter Show is the longest-running fair in America devoted to fine art, antiques, and design.
Each piece on display is evaluated by over 120 specialists from 30 disciplines to determine its authenticity, quality, and value. The artwork is then exhibited in the 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall.
The Armory was built by New York State’s Seventh Regiment of the National Guard, the first volunteer militia to respond to President Lincoln’s call for troops in 1861.
The building was designed by Charles W. Clinton, who later became a partner at Clinton & Russell, the architects of the Astor Hotel.
Bronze. The only the only cast still in private hands was exhibited at The Winter Show. The remaining four casts are in museum collections.bgfa.com.
In addition to Adelson, Many New York-based exhibitors also made the return this year, including the Levy Galleries, experts in early American furniture and objects; A La Vieille Russie, specializing in antique European jewelry and Fabergé; and Bernard Goldberg Fine Arts, which exhibits early 20th-century American and European art and design.
Exhibitors from around the globe also returned, including Monaco-based Véronique Bamps, who showcases fine European and American jewelry from the mid-20th century, and Aronson Antiquairs of Amsterdam, which specializes in 17th- and 18th-century artwork.
“FOCUS: Americana,” curated by Alexandra Kirtley of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, was on display. It united top dealers to present a selection of early American fine art, folk art, and antiques.
Some first-time exhibitors included Zebregs & Röell, based in the Netherlands, showcasing fine and decorative works of art from the 1500s to the 1800s; Kunsthandel Nikolaus Kolhammer from Vienna, offering modern and contemporary Viennese furniture and art; and Alexandre Gallery in New York, which specializes in 20th-century American art artists.
While some visitors view the show solely as an art exhibition, it also raises funds for the East Side House Settlement.
Daniel Diaz, the executive director of East Side House Settlement, stated that the exhibition helped raise funds for significant capital projects in the Bronx, including a career and technical education charter high school and a “pioneering” community teaching kitchen.
“These initiatives are not just investments in infrastructure,” Diaz said. “They are investments in the future of our community.”
If you missed it this time, make a point of seeing it next year. It is a New York City tradition for a reason.
Vetted Hamptons Resources
