Stephen Lash

Stephen Lash (born February 10, 1940) is founder of Christie's North America and the Chairman Emeritus of Christie's New York.^[2][3][4]

He attended Avon Old Farms boarding school for boys.^[5]

He was a trustee to the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission. He also served as a Trustee of the Preservation League of New York State.^[6]

Christie's hired Lash in 1976. For over ten years, Lash was the chairman of Christie's Americas.^[7] In 1984, Lash became the vice president in the estates and appraisals department.^[8][9]

Under Lash's direction in 2006, the collection of Adele Bloch-Bauer niece Maria Altmann, which included four paintings by Gustav Klimt returned to Altmann after a decade-long legal battle, sold at Christie's. The paintings were Adele Bloch-Bauer II, Apple Tree I, Birch Trees, and Houses at Attersee. A fifth and final Klimt, Adele Bloch-Bauer I, sold in a private sale to billionaire Ronald Lauder in 2006 for $135 million.^[10][11]

Lash has served as the co-chair of the Maritime Visiting Committee at the Peabody Essex Museum, and he was the founder and first president of the Ocean Liner Museum. He serves on the boards of the Museum of the City of New York, The New York Landmarks Conservancy, and he is co-chairman of the American Friends of the Israel Museum. He is also the Acting President and Trustee of the New York University Institute of Fine Arts.^[6][7]