Robert Volpe (1942-2006)
View from the Janie M.
Etching, AP, 1974, 6 ¾” x 9 5/8”
Donated by Grace Volpe
In artist’s original frame

Robert Volpe (1942-2006) began his art career painting pictures of tugboats as a teenager.  By the mid-1970s, his work had turned more abstract, and when he was not browsing galleries, attending auctions, lecturing at the Smithsonian, or traveling to Paris or Rome, he was a New York City detective who became famous for tracking down clever criminals who specialized in stealing works of art, a criminal enterprise that he made famous in his book, Art Cop.  His accomplishments as a painter and curator earned him a place in Who’s Who in American Art, and his sweeping mustache, shoulder-length hair and flamboyant clothing fit the part.  Volpe studied at the High School of Art and Design, Parsons School of Design, and the Art Students League.  A long-time member, Volpe served as president of the Salmagundi Club from 1991 to 1994.  His book led to his friendship with John A. Noble, who was as intrigued by his career in the annals of crime as he was by Volpe’s paintings. 

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