About

Contact information:
Armstrong Fine Art
C/o Bernard Derroitte (owner)
1200 West 35th Street, #186 - Chicago, IL  60609-1305
Email: info@armstrongfineart.com
Phone: 312-664-9312

Armstrong Fine Art is dedicated to presenting superior works of art on paper of the 19th and 20th centuries. The dealership is rooted in a deep and passionate knowledge of prints created by French artists at the end of the 1800s and early into the 1900s. We have, however, diversified our inventory greatly since 2018. You will still find prints by high-profile artists such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Pierre Bonnard, or Edouard Vuillard. You will also increasingly find works by American artists, as well as artists from Belgium, Germany, or Japan and elsewhere. For our acquisitions we focus on high visual impact and innovation. We are known for our particular interest in color, the unusual, the ephemeral, and the experimental. While famous images will always be part of our holdings, we are confident you will find any number of prints and drawings by artists you do not know, but who present realities that will open your eyes to something new. We thrive on wonder, and hope we get to share that with you.

A second-generation print business started in 1984, Armstrong Fine Art has developed a passion for Pre-Impressionism, the Belle Époque and the Early Modern era of printmaking.  In 2006 Bernard Derroitte took over the dealership from its original owner, Richard Reed Armstrong.  The business, named Richard Reed Armstrong Fine Art originally, was owned by Richard for nearly 30 years.  Sadly, Richard passed away much too young, in 2013.

Bernard Derroitte - photographic portrait

Bernard, the current owner, studied art history in Belgium and Germany and has over twenty years of experience with the gallery. He has tailored the inventory to his specialty, turn-of-the-century fine works on paper.  The inventory today, however, reflects an expanded expertise, which includes an increasing number of works on paper created throughout the 20th century.  The gallery strives to reflect a stylistically diverse range of artistic accomplishments of the modern era.

Printmaking in the 19th century was the onset of a true renaissance of graphic arts. Our inventory covers a complete range, from well-known greats to lesser-known masters. Aside from the artists mentioned above, we also carry works by Felix Vallotton, Henri Rivière, André Derain, Pierre Roche, Raoul DuGardier, Louis Legrand, Auguste Lepére, as well as many other remarkable artists. We take great pride in featuring only the very finest impressions in the best possible condition. We are known in particular for our diverse inventory of works on paper in color.

Fine prints and drawings from our gallery have been purchased by many major museums, including the Minneapolis Institute of Arts, the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the Art Institute of Chicago; and this is by no means an exhaustive representation of our clientele.

Holding ourselves to a high standard, we are always seeking new acquisitions and consignments to meet the strong demand of private collectors, museums, and other professionals. We also have entry to many exclusive sources and are able to fill requests for specific pieces. We acknowledge that clients’ individual requests cannot always be met by our current inventory. If you are interested in discussing your personal interests or needs, we strongly encourage you to reach out to us.

Bernard Derroitte, owner

Armstrong Fine Art