Ideas for Sculpture

Born Heinrich Rosenbaum in Munich, 1907, Henry Roland studied art history in Berlin, Paris and Munich before moving to London in late 1929 after the American depression hit the German economy and subsequently the German art market. Known to his close friends as Heinz, Roland met Gustav Delbanco in London, eventually generating enough money together to rent an office space in Piccadilly, where the pair specialised in Old Master paintings and drawings. A renowned expert in Old Masters with a keen eye for quality, Roland believed strongly in supporting and fostering contemporary art, and founded a firm alongside Delbanco and Lillian Browse in 1945 situated on Cork Street, where the three stayed until 1977. The company promoted a diverse range of artists in whom the three dealers truly believed, such as Matthew Smith, Henry Moore, Victor Pasmore and Graham Sutherland. Roland’s private collection also reflected his conviction in certain artists. In particular his collection boasted integral pieces by Rodin, Maillol and Moore, as well as German artists such as Nolde, Macke, Feininger and Schmidt-Rottluff.