More on the Inadequacies of Bernard Ewell
Straight from the Mule's Mouth
According to Albert Field

Throughout the Fine Art Registry® investigation into cruise ship art auctions, and in particular, the bad business practices of Park West Gallery, representatives of Park West have repeatedly (when it is convenient for them to do so) through varying media attempted to defame, slander, disparage, decimate, and lay waste to the good name and reputation of Albert Field, Founder and Director of the Salvador Dali Archives in New York and author of "The Official Catalog of the Graphic Works of Salvador Dali". One of the Park West Gallery representatives leading the charge against Albert Field and his successor, Frank Hunter, is Bernard Ewell, an appraiser and his own biggest fan.

To illustrate, we set forth a few of the recent offending quotes written by Ewell about Albert Field and taken straight from his blog which, by the way, is prominently linked to and promoted by his lord and master's web site, Park West Gallery:

• "Albert Field's bogus 'Salvador Dalí Archives' and massively flawed files."
• "Albert Field and head of the sham Salvador Dalí Archives."
• "A future posting will take a close look at 'The Tragedy of Albert Field and His Scatalog of Dalí Prints'."
• "...the very shaky credibility of Albert Field, [and] his scatalog...."
• "...Albert Field's flawed files."
• "...if you, like me, had known Albert Field, visited his squalid apartment in Astoria, New York (the archives) and watched him examine a print attributed to Dalí without having any of the skill to know what he was looking at."

These quotes by Ewell about Albert Field are especially shocking when you consider that Albert Field committed 40 years of his life to developing what is now considered in the art industry to be the definitive reference on the graphic works of Salvador Dali. It's easy to see that these disparaging statements were written to cover Ewells own inadequacies. In any event, it is a veritable fact that Ewell is bought and paid for and is doing the bidding of Park West Gallery.

Albert Field died in 2003. It's certainly easy for Ewell to make a cowardly attack on the stellar reputation of a dead man. After all, dead men don't talk. Or do they? Ewell stupidly banks on the fact that no one will be the wiser - that historical documents and primary source archives won't surface that prove him a liar. But direct from Albert Field and The Salvador Dali Archives is the following quote from a letter written to Albert Field by Bernie Ewell himself, signed and dated, June 10, 1997:

"Albert, we make daily use of your Catalog and I consider it a critical tool. I also appreciate your continuing willingness to keep in touch. I really believe we need to do so for our mutual benefit. Please don't hesitate to call any time I can be of assistance."

Isn't it interesting how things change so quickly? It wasn't long after this letter that Ewell was on the Park West payroll. Taken together with other letters Fine Art Registry has reviewed written by Bernard Ewell to Albert Field, it is crystal clear that while Albert Field was alive, Ewell certainly worshipped the ground Albert Field walked on (in fact, it seems that Ewell bordered on obsessive adoration or "groupie" status) and certainly respected Field's expertise. However, Albert Field did not share the same affinity for Ewell. And given what Ewell has published recently, perhaps Albert Field already knew what we are finding out to be the truth about Ewell, that he cannot be trusted to be truthful. The Ewell letter is posted here in its entirety (redacted to protect the names of the owners of the property discussed).

Other interesting historical facts about Ewell's letter which we may cover in a separate article in the near future will illuminate even further Ewell's inadequacies when it comes to the authentication of Dali prints and graphics. But for now, take note of the following: Charles Hamilton (now deceased) was a well known handwriting expert with whom Albert Field worked and who declared Ewell's previously authenticated Dali signatures on graphics as "forged" signatures. In essence that is what this letter is responding to. To learn more about Charles Hamilton, see this New York Times article:
http://www.nytimes.com/1996/12/13/arts/charles-hamilton-jr-82-an-expert-on-handwriting.html

Article by Fine Art Registry®, September 4, 2009   |   Discuss Story on FAR® Forum   |   Print   |  

Salvador Dali article list ›