Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Howard Rehs, President of Rehs Galleries. Howard passed away on November 19, 2025, at the age of 66, following a year-long battle with ALS.
“Howard Rehs was not only a delightful conversationalist, generous colleague, enthusiastic supporter of living artists, and widely respected leader in the gallery sector, but also a devoted champion of the unjustly forgotten 19th-century artists he worked hard to highlight through research, publications, and exhibitions,” shared Peter Trippi, Editor-in-Chief of Fine Art Connoisseur.
“His contributions to our collective understanding of 19th-century French and American painting were truly impactful and will be appreciated by scholars and collectors everywhere for decades to come. Those of us who knew Howard personally will miss him very much, and we extend all our sympathy to his remarkable family at this difficult time. It is heartening to know that, through the gallery, they will carry on the important work Howard loved so much.”
From the Gallery:
Born on July 1, 1959, Howard grew up surrounded by a deep appreciation for art and the business that would later define his life. He graduated from New York University with a degree in Art History, a decision that shaped not only his career but the direction of the gallery his family had built.
In 1981, Howard joined the family business, and quickly became a driving force behind its evolution. He became President and began shaping the gallery into what it is recognized as today, one of New York’s most distinguished dealers of 19th- and early 20th-century European academic and realist paintings. His curatorial vision, scholarship, market insight, and commitment to transparency earned him an international reputation for integrity and expertise.
Howard’s passion for French Academic art was unmatched. Over the course of his career, he became the world’s leading authority on the works of Antoine Blanchard, Émile Munier, Daniel Ridgway Knight, and Julien Dupré, authoring catalogues raisonnés and contributing significant scholarship to the field. Collectors, researchers, and institutions from around the world routinely turned to him for his trusted knowledge, counsel, and authentication.
More than a scholar and art dealer, Howard was a mentor to countless artists, colleagues, and young professionals who credit him with shaping their understanding of art, business, and ethics. His sharp wit, unwavering honesty, and contagious enthusiasm left an impression on everyone he encountered, from first-time art buyers to the most seasoned curators.
Howard is survived by his devoted wife, Amy Rehs; his children Lance Rehs and Alyssa Boggia, his son-in-law Adam Boggia, and his grandchildren Theadora and Bennett, who were the light of his later years. He is also survived by his parents Ann and Joseph Rehs, his sister Sheryl Rehs, his brother Alan Rehs and sister-in-law Michelle Rehs, as well as extended family, friends, colleagues, and the many artists and collectors whose lives he touched.
To the art world, Howard was a trailblazer and an encyclopedic resource. To his family, he was a devoted husband, a fiercely loving father, and a grandfather whose greatest joy was seeing the world through his grandchildren’s eyes. To those lucky enough to know him personally, he was genuine, generous, and always the first to show up for the people he cared about.
The family asks that donations be made to The Howard L. Rehs Fund for ALS Research, established in his honor so that no family or individual has to face the devastating weight of ALS alone.
Howard’s legacy will endure in the works of art he championed, the careers he nurtured, the artist he educated, the gallery he shaped, and the family he loved beyond measure.
Rehs Galleries will continue operating in the tradition he built, guided by his standards of scholarship, trust, and passion for the humanities.
