The Collectors: Timothy Corrigan
The interior designer displays his cache of nearly 150 portraits in his breathtaking Loire Valley chateau
One could say interior designer Timothy Corrigan is a collector of many things. Châteaux, for example, as he’s bought, restored, and sold more than some people have ever set foot in. His third book, which will be published by Rizzoli next year, showcases his latest historic manse, Château de la Chevallerie, located in the Loire Valley, where he displays his most prized collection: 143 portraits hung as a grand collage up the sweeping three-story stair.
“What I love is that a portrait is never just a picture of the individual,” he says of his paintings, which include works by John Singer Sargent, Carolus-Duran, and Jacques-Louis David, as well as ones that cost as little as $400. “There’s so much that it tells you about that person based on the way they choose to be featured in that painting, their setting, what they’re wearing, how they’re looking at you.”
Familial ties: “I got started because I inherited a lot of family portraits. When I moved to Paris in 1987, I began buying 19th-century paintings because they were more affordable, and then moved into 18th century and more recently, 20th century. For example, I’ve got a Robert Mapplethorpe photo of Grace Jones painted by Keith Haring.”
Who’s who: “It’s about so much more than owning them. I love the whole process of finding them and doing the research on the people. I always try to make a point of learning what I can about who they were in history—no matter how important.”
A version of this article first appeared in print in our 2023 Late Spring Issue under the headline “The Collectors.” Subscribe to the magazine.