Age, Biography and Wiki

Alexander Iolas (Constantine Coutsoudis) was born on 26 March, 1908 in Alexandria, Egypt, is a Greek-American art collector (1908–1987). Discover Alexander Iolas's Biography, Age, Height, Physical Stats, Dating/Affairs, Family and career updates. Learn How rich is he in this year and how he spends money? Also learn how he earned most of networth at the age of 79 years old?

Popular As Constantine Coutsoudis
Occupation Ballet dancer, gallerist, art dealer and collector
Age 79 years old
Zodiac Sign Aries
Born 26 March, 1908
Birthday 26 March
Birthplace Alexandria, Egypt
Date of death 8 June, 1987
Died Place New York City, US
Nationality Egypt

We recommend you to check the complete list of Famous People born on 26 March. He is a member of famous Ballet dancer with the age 79 years old group.

Alexander Iolas Height, Weight & Measurements

At 79 years old, Alexander Iolas height not available right now. We will update Alexander Iolas's Height, weight, Body Measurements, Eye Color, Hair Color, Shoe & Dress size soon as possible.

Physical Status
Height Not Available
Weight Not Available
Body Measurements Not Available
Eye Color Not Available
Hair Color Not Available

Dating & Relationship status

He is currently single. He is not dating anyone. We don't have much information about He's past relationship and any previous engaged. According to our Database, He has no children.

Family
Parents Andreas Coutsoudis (father)Persephone (Psarou) (mother)
Wife Not Available
Sibling Not Available
Children Not Available

Alexander Iolas Net Worth

His net worth has been growing significantly in 2023-2024. So, how much is Alexander Iolas worth at the age of 79 years old? Alexander Iolas’s income source is mostly from being a successful Ballet dancer. He is from Egypt. We have estimated Alexander Iolas's net worth, money, salary, income, and assets.

Net Worth in 2024 $1 Million - $5 Million
Salary in 2024 Under Review
Net Worth in 2023 Pending
Salary in 2023 Under Review
House Not Available
Cars Not Available
Source of Income Ballet dancer

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Timeline

1908

Alexander Iolas (March 26, 1908 – June 8, 1987) was an Egyptian-born Greek-American art gallerist and significant collector of modern art works, who advanced the careers of René Magritte, Andy Warhol and many other artists.

He established the modern model of the global art business, operating successful galleries in Paris, Geneva, Milan and New York.

Iolas was born on March 26, 1908, in Alexandria, Egypt, under the name Constantine Coutsoudis, to a well-off family of cotton traders.

1928

From an early age, Iolas showed an inclination towards the arts and consequently, in 1928, he moved to Athens, Greece.

There, Iolas began to associate with an artistic circle of people such as Kostis Palamas and Angelos Sikelianos, who would play a mentoring role in his life, as well as Eva Palmer-Sikelianos.

It was in Athens that Iolas took his first steps in dancing.

1930

In 1930, upon the urging of Dimitris Mitropoulos, Iolas moved to Berlin where he devoted himself to dance studies.

1931

He attended the school of Tatjana and Victor Gsovsky and participated in the Salzburg Festival in 1931 and 1932.

The restructuring of Iolas' name was an invention of his; he had already appeared as 'Jolas Coutsoudis' in theatrical programs since 1931, long before he went to America.

The name 'Iolas' gradually replaced his actual surname as it was more euphonic, with only two-syllables and therefore easier to pronounce.

Mainly, though, it was symbolic since it was associated with Iolaus, a glorious figure of Greek Mythology.

'Alexander' is also a glorious name, closely related to the city in which Iolas was born.

1932

In November 1932, Iolas moved to Paris where he continued studying ballet with some well-known teachers, and also attended art classes at the Sorbonne.

1935

In 1935, Iolas went to New York.

There, on December 14, 1935, he signed a contract with the Ballet Productions dance troupe and made his debut at the Metropolitan Opera House, dancing in La Traviata.

1945

On November 19, 1945, Iolas became a naturalized American citizen and signed as Constantine Coutsoudis.

His official name change took place later.

In 1945, Iolas decided to give up dancing and explore a way to transition to art.

It was rumored that this transition was due to an injury, but the truth is that, at 37 years old, he considered himself to be "too old for dancing."

On September 1, 1945, Iolas's first gallery, the Hugo Gallery, was officially established in New York, named in honor of François Hugo, the last spouse of Donna Maria Ruspoli who was a close friend of Iolas.

He started by exhibiting works of European surrealist artists, such as René Magritte, Max Ernst, Giorgio de Chirico, and Victor Brauner.

1952

There, in 1952, Iolas also presented Andy Warhol's first exhibition.

He later collaborated with the New Realists (Niki De Saint Phalle, Jean Tinguely, Martial Raysse, et al.), with Arte Povera artists (Jannis Kounellis, Pino Pascali et al.) and many others.

1954

In 1954, the gallery expanded and was renamed 'Alexander Iolas, Inc'.

1963

Iolas was one of the pioneers in the development of a "network" of art galleries, satellites of a central art gallery, by opening new Alexander Iolas Galleries in Geneva (1963), Paris (1964), Milan (1966), Zürich, Madrid and Rome.

At the same time, he promoted Greek artists abroad, such as Nikos Hadjikyriakos-Ghikas, Vagis, Moralis and Tsarouchis.

He also collaborated with the younger generation of Greek artists, such as Kostas Tsoklis, Pavlos, Takis, Akrithakis, Fassianos and Mara Karetsos, who had already started a career abroad.

Iolas also published art catalogues, prefaced by, among others, André Breton and Pierre Restany, as well as collectible books of artists and poets in a limited number of copies (Max Ernst, Giannis Ritsos, Odysseas Elytis et al.).

1974

The fall of the Greek junta in 1974 had paved the way for this.

He gradually closed down all his galleries but the one in New York, thus keeping his promise to Marx Ernst, to stop when he died.

The fact that, during the '70s, many artists from the old guard died, people by whom Iolas had been nurtured and for whom he had deep love and respect, must have also played a significant role in his decision.

In Greece, he collaborated with various galleries, such as the Zoumboulakis–Iolas Gallery, Medusa, Vicky Drakos, Athens Art Gallery, Skoufa et al.

1977

He donated artworks to large museums, such as the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Museum of Modern Art in New York, the Georges Pompidou Center in Paris (donations in 1977), as well as the National Art Gallery of Athens (donation in 1971).

Having obtained worldwide fame, Iolas often said that he would return to Greece in order to contribute to the progress of its artistic life.

1984

In 1984, Iolas donated 47 works of contemporary art from his personal collection to the Macedonian Museum of Contemporary Art, while he promised to donate more works.

The same year, he commissioned Warhol to do a series of paintings after Leonardo da Vinci's The Last Supper. The works premiered in Milan just months before both men's deaths.

1985

From 1985 until his death in 1987, Iolas was treated with mistrust and malice from a large portion of the Greek press that created a vulgar image of him.

He was even accused of illicit trade in antiquities, a case that did not reach the courts because of his death, while all other accusations were dropped as groundless.

On the initiative of Costas Gavras, there has been, from abroad, an attempt to defend Iolas, which was co-signed by many internationally-recognized personalities, such as the Byzantinologist Helene Glykatzi-Ahrweiler.

1987

Iolas died from AIDS-related complications at New York Hospital on June 8, 1987.