Antonio Homem, the longtime associate and eventual director of the Sonnabend Gallery, has died at 86. Homem began working with legendary gallerist Ileana Sonnabend in Paris in 1968, helped her open the New York gallery in 1971, and became the primary steward of the Sonnabend collection after her death in 2007, overseeing its transition into a foundation and a new public museum in Mantova, Italy.
Homem's death marks the passing of a crucial link to one of the most influential galleries and collections of post-war contemporary art. He was instrumental in preserving the legacy of Ileana and Michael Sonnabend, who championed artists like Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol, and Robert Rauschenberg. His work culminated in the 2025 opening of the Sonnabend Collection Mantova, ensuring public access to a collection that serves as a living autobiography of the Sonnabends' pivotal role in 20th-century art.