Bruno Bischofberger, the influential Swiss art dealer, collector, and historian, died on Saturday at age 86. He opened his first galleries in Zurich and St. Moritz in 1963, championed American Pop artists like Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, and became an early backer of Jean-Michel Basquiat, representing him from 1982. Bischofberger also helped found Interview magazine with Peter Brant and was a longtime exhibitor at Art Basel.
Bischofberger's death marks the loss of a pivotal figure who bridged American and European art scenes, shaping Neo-Expressionism and supporting artists from Warhol to Basquiat. His galleries and advocacy helped define the second half of 20th-century art history, and his legacy endures through the artists he nurtured and the market he helped build.