Artnet News has published its annual roundup of art world figures who died in 2025, honoring a diverse range of individuals including museum directors, painters, curators, philanthropists, and an archaeologist. Among those remembered are Julia Alexander, former director of the Yale Center for British Art; Sylvain Amic, recently appointed to lead the Musée d'Orsay; philanthropist Wallis Annenberg; abstract painters Timothy App and Jo Baer; curator Leonid Bazhanov; and Tony Bechara, painter and former director of El Museo del Barrio.
The obituary roundup matters because it provides a comprehensive record of the year's losses in the visual arts, acknowledging both celebrated figures and those with quieter careers. It highlights the breadth of contributions to arts and culture—from museum leadership and philanthropy to painting and curation—and serves as an annual moment of reflection for the art community. The inclusion of figures like Sylvain Amic, who played a key role in restitution laws, and Wallis Annenberg, a major museum donor, underscores ongoing conversations about institutional change and philanthropic impact.