If the new year is a blank canvas, The Winter Show 2025 at the Park Avenue Armory has already scrawled its name in gilded calligraphy across the art world’s social register.
Opening night wasn’t merely an event—it was a coronation of culture, a sumptuous feast for the senses where collectors, tastemakers, and high-society glitterati gathered under the grand chandeliers. The effortless elegance of Martha Stewart, the indomitable financial mind of Michael Bloomberg, and the polished refinement of Nicky Hilton graced the halls, each drawn by the undeniable pull of history, luxury, and artistic grandeur.
The evening dripped with an electric charge, the kind only found at the intersection of the past’s finest craftsmanship and the future’s boldest visions.
The Collector’s Lounge
One of the crowning jewels of the fair was The Collector’s Lounge, an opulent respite designed by renchCALIFORNIA and its Paris-born mastermind, Guillaume Coutheillas. The theme? A Dialogue Between Past and Present, and what a conversation it was.
Inspired by the Louis C. Tiffany and Stanford White-designed Library Room, this space wove together historic craftsmanship with contemporary finesse. Sculptural brass tables by Victor Tison gleamed under the soft glow of bespoke plaster lighting, while Dora Stanczel’s organic porcelain forms whispered of old-world artistry.
Minimalist furnishings by Aguirre Design paired exquisitely with vintage Italian lounge chairs, creating a sanctuary where collectors could sip their champagne, whisper about upcoming acquisitions, and revel in the meticulously curated sophistication.
Guillaume, with his innate understanding of how space shapes experience, has once again proven that design is more than just aesthetics—it is a story, a history lesson, and a leap into the future, all told in a single space.
James Robinson’s emerald ring
The art of seduction isn’t limited to canvas and stone. Jewelry has long held the power to captivate, and no piece turned heads faster than the emerald ring at James Robinson. This wasn’t just a ring—it was a siren’s call, luring in lovers of history and fine craftsmanship. Deep green as a forest at twilight, the stone shimmered with mystery, an artifact of luxury and lore.
“This emerald,” one collector mused, “feels as though it holds secrets—powerful ones.”
Jewelry of this caliber isn’t simply worn; it is possessed, whispered about, and eventually passed down through the generations. The ring felt alive, its beauty laced with intrigue, as if it had stolen a piece of time itself.
Peter Harrington Rare Books
For those who see books as portals rather than paperweights, Peter Harrington Rare Books delivered an arsenal of historical wonders that could make even the most seasoned bibliophile weak in the knees. John F. Kennedy’s signed inaugural address stood as a ghostly testament to an era of promise, while Franklin D. Roosevelt’s anti-war address—inscribed to none other than Eleanor Roosevelt—offered a deeply personal glimpse into history’s most defining moments.
The true showstopper? A hand-drawn land survey by George Washington and a lottery letter signed by Elizabeth I.This was not just ink on parchment; it was power, legacy, the tangible fingerprints of history’s titans.
Pom Harrington, ever the storyteller, was on hand to breathe life into these relics, ensuring that those who held them in their gloved hands understood the magnitude of their importance.
The Matisse Effect
Then there was the Matisse. Matisse!
If you, like me, are entranced by the simplicity of his linework—how a single stroke can capture the entire soul of a subject—then Tête de Jeune Fille (1946) at Bernard Goldberg Fine Arts was a revelation. Effortless yet profound, this sketch of a young girl felt less like a portrait and more like a whisper from the past. Matisse had the uncanny ability to make art feel personal, as though he knew his subjects beyond their form, beyond their faces—straight into the marrow of their being.
Mahogany settees
Luxury does not solely reside in the realm of canvas and sculpture. It lives in the furniture that has witnessed centuries, in the patina of fine mahogany, in the curve of an armrest that once supported the weight of kings and queens. Ronald Phillips presented a pair of mahogany settees from the St. Giles’s House suite, attributed to William Vile, and they were nothing short of exquisite. A touchstone to an era of regality, craftsmanship, and uncompromising beauty. To sit upon them was to feel the weight of history itself, a reminder that true elegance never fades.
Where art, history and society collide
At The Winter Show, one does not simply walk the halls—one travels through time. Each piece, whether it be a Matisse sketch, a rare book, or an emerald ring, holds within it the echoes of the past and the promise of the future. The Collector’s Lounge, a masterstroke of modernity rooted in tradition, provided the perfect backdrop for this odyssey.
As the champagne flowed and conversations deepened, one truth became crystal clear: The Winter Show 2025, which closes on Feb. 2, is not just an exhibition—it is an experience, a statement, a world unto itself. Those who stepped inside left transformed, their imaginations expanded, their desires sharpened.
Until next year, my fellow art lovers—may your collections grow, your passions deepen, and your stories continue to unfold in the grand, golden pages of history.
