Leonard A. Lauder (1933–2025): the venerable collector, philanthropist, and driving force behind the Estée Lauder empire, has died at 92. A titan of industry and a custodian of modernism, Lauder’s legacy extends far beyond the boardroom, leaving his mark on museums, artists, and the very fabric of cultural philanthropy.
Born in New York’s Upper West Side in 1933, Lauder was the elder son of Joseph and Estée Lauder, the founders of what would become a global beauty empire. Yet his true passion lay not only in business but in the transformative power of art. His 2014 bequest of 78 Cubist masterpieces to the Metropolitan Museum of Art—works by Picasso, Braque, Léger, and Gris—was a defining moment, securing the Met’s place as a sanctuary for modernist innovation. The collection, once described as “unsurpassed in its holdings of Cubist art,” was later enriched with postwar gems by Alex Katz, Roy Lichtenstein, and Larry Rivers.
Lauder’s eye for great art was matched only by his generosity. The Whitney Museum of American Art, where he served as board member, president, and chairman, received its largest-ever gift from him in 2008—a $131 million trove including 50 Jasper Johns paintings. When the Whitney opened its Meatpacking District home in 2014, the building bore his name, a true testament to his generosity.
Lauder also helped establish the Leonard A. Lauder Research Centre for Modern Art at the Met to support a robust program of fellowships, focused exhibitions, and public lectures. Along with his prominent presence at the Met, he also served as the Whitney Museum of American Art’s Chairman Emeritus and a trustee from 1977 to 2011. Throughout his life, he donated works of art and endowed curatorial positions and research departments to numerous institutions.
His collecting began humbly, at the age of six, with a five-cent postcard of the Empire State Building. That childhood fascination blossomed into a lifelong devotion, amassing 130,000 historic postcards, most of which were destined for the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston.
Beyond art, Lauder was a steward of memory—his mother’s advice, “you only regret what you do not buy,” guided his acquisitions. His brother, Ronald Lauder, founder of the Neue Galerie, shared his dedication to preserving cultural heritage.
Remembering his brother, Ronald S. Lauder, founder of the Neue Galerie, said, “Leonard was a wonderful brother and a devoted husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather, uncle, colleague, and friend. But his legacy extends far beyond being the heart of our family. His impact will be felt for generations to come thanks to his tireless philanthropy, advocacy, and creativity in tackling some of the world’s greatest challenges. The number of lives he touched and positively impacted across all his endeavors is immeasurable. His passion and generosity have inspired us all, and there are no words to express how much he will be missed.”
Lauder is survived by his brother, his sons William and Gary, five grandchildren, two great-grandsons and his wife, photographer Judith Glickman. His first wife, Evelyn Hausner, died in 2011.
In an era of high-value auctions, Leonard Lauder stood as a man who understood that beauty, in art and life, is not merely to be owned but to be shared. His absence leaves a silence, but his gifts will echo for generations.