Christopher S. Nelson 
Introducing Rakewell, Apollo’s wandering eye on the art world. Look for regular publications that take a racy perspective on art and museum stories.
As you surely know, Rakewell loves nothing more than getting acquainted with a great art collection. Less obviously, Rakewell appreciates nothing more than a good TV show. But every once in a while, when these two meet, Rakewell can’t help but think that TV doesn’t understand what it’s like to be a collector or how great art collections are put together.
Those with longer memories may recall that at one time Lovejoy was the only dealer represented on the small screen. So imagine our joy when the utterly shining hacks appeared and not only depicted real human emotions, but also a truthful representation of the collection.
hacks is HBO Max’s wonderfully acerbic drama about slightly long-in-the-tooth comedian Deborah Vance, played by Jean Smart, that may or may not be based on the life of the incomparable Joan Rivers. Like Rivers, Deborah has a wonderfully lavish home, appears on QVC (selling clothes rather than jewelry), and isn’t willing to suffer fools.
In one glorious episode, we find Mrs. Vance sitting on what Rakewell would like to call a canapes but maybe just accept a sofa in front of a wonderful Franz Klein. A collection of antique busts is in its lobby, and the works of other masters of Abstract Expressionism are found elsewhere in the house.
We know Deborah understands the value of art when she photographs every item in a friend’s collection in order to exert a little blackmail. Not only does she appreciate the value of art, but she also knows how to use it.
But the most exciting moment is when she’s in pursuit of a Jean Royère pepper shaker – don’t worry, there will be no spoilers here (only a plea for you to watch this great series), except to say that Mrs. Vance demonstrates the right level of obsession by driving through the endless desert in pursuit of her desired object. Rakewell isn’t sure if Royére ever made cruets, but the level of obsession and attention to detail in this episode feels like one of the most faithful representations of what must have been the collector gene per se – satisfaction remains perpetually elusive, but there is always the chance that a single object is the answer. If only all of television could figure this out, maybe we wouldn’t have to endure horrible drama on the small screen anymore.
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