Daniel Lelong

Daniel Lelong (9 November 1933 – 4 June 2025) was a French gallerist of modern art and book publisher.^[1] He served as president of the Galerie Maeght and the Galerie Lelong until 2012, when he was succeeded by Jean Frémon.

Daniel Lelong
Lelong in 2012
Born	(1933-11-09)9 November 1933 Nancy, France
Died	4 June 2025(2025-06-04) (aged 91)
Education	Sciences Po
Occupation(s)	Gallerist, publisher

Life and career

Born in Nancy in 1933, Lelong was the son of a government official. He studied at the Collège-lycée Jacques-Decour in Paris and the Sciences Po. After his studies, he worked for the Conseil d'État, becoming acquainted with several French political figures, such as Pierre Mendès France.^[2]

During the Algerian War, Lelong was the secretary to the wife of General Jacques Massol [fr]. In 1960, he returned to Paris, where he met Aimé Maeght. The two worked together on the construction of the Fondation Maeght in Saint-Paul-de-Vence.^[2] He then left the civil service for good to direct the Galerie Maeght, located in Paris.^[3] The gallery hosted artists such as Joan Miró, Alexander Calder, Antoni Tàpies, Paul Rebeyrolle, and Francis Bacon. After Maeght's death, he co-directed the gallery alongside Jean Frémon and Jacques Dupin. In 1987, he attempted to rename it to the Galerie Lelong, but lost a legal battle against Maeght's son, forcing him to return the gallery to its original name.^[2] Under his leadership, the gallery would go on to host artists such as Pierre Alechinsky, Louise Bourgeois, Sarah Grilo,^[4] Jannis Kounellis, Sean Scully, Kiki Smith, and Jaume Plensa. In 1980, he worked alongside artists to create the official poster for the French Open.^[5] In 1982, he chose the artists to design the poster for the World Cup. In the 2000s, the contemporary art market was booming, growing the gallery's sales rapidly.^[6] In 2018, he opened a new second gallery on the Avenue Montaigne in Paris.^[7]

Lelong died on 4 June 2025, at the age of 91.^[8]

Distinctions

• Knight of the Legion of Honour
• Commander of the Ordre des Arts et des Lettres (2010)^[9]

Books

• Calder, the Artist, the Work (1971)
• Adami : 89 (1989)
• Avec Calder (2000)
• Avec Miro (2013)