Ann Restak studied Early Modern Art at The Courtauld Institute of Art in London where she earned her Masters Degree with a dissertation on the mirror in Seventeenth Century Netherlandish High Life Genre Painting.  Ann’s love of Seventeenth Century Art originates from a high school AP Art History class where she saw her first Caravaggio painting.  It was love at first sight.  Ann’s undergraduate research focused on the critical reception of Caravaggio, discussing two paintings that were dismantled by the decree of the Catholic Church almost immediately after their installation:  “The Death of the Virgin” and the first version of “The Inspiration of St. Matthew”.  In keeping with her passion for avant-garde artists, Ann archived the estate of the late and prolific filmmaker and performance artist, Jack Smith at Gladstone Gallery.Ann’s career as an Art Historian has led her throughout Europe, particularly to the museums, churches and streets of Italy and Holland to see the works of Duccio, Masaccio, Pietro Lorenzetti, Raphael, Michelangelo, Caravaggio, Rembrandt and Vermeer, to name of a few.  Ann’s current interests are: NY Street Art, Public art, performance art, ballet and live music.  Her favorite NY museums are the Frick, the Morgan Library, and the Rubin Museum of Art.  In addition to art and culture, Ann’s other hobbies include running, tennis, yoga, sewing, and trying new restaurants in NY.