Sven Bruntjen

1940 - 2025

Sven Bruntjen
11/27/1940 - 08/04/2025
A uniquely bright light and memorably kind soul was lost on August 4, 2025, when Sven Herman Arnold Bruntjen, Jr. of Marin County passed away at the age of 84, succumbing to pneumonia and heart complications after battling cancer.
An art dealer, appraiser, beloved father, and friend, Sven was respected for his expertise in fine art and rare books and cherished for his warmth, graciousness, sharp wit, and endless humor.
Sven was born on Nov. 27, 1940, in Minneapolis, MN, to Herman Arnold Bruntjen, Sr. and Marjorie "Mimi" Elaine (née Kreiser). His brothers Worth, John, William, and Frederic preceded him in death. He was married to Sabine Bruntjen for 50 years until her passing in 2014. They are survived by their daughter Nicole, son-in-law Michael, and grandsons Gabriel and Julian Weiss.
Sven graduated from Georgetown University in 1973 with a BA in fine arts, philosophy, and German literature. He studied abroad in London and Munich. In 1963, he married Sabine Ockel, a German-born artist, daughter of acclaimed stage actors, and the granddaughter of the prominent architect Hans Poelzig. The couple moved to the Bay Area where Sven received his training in antiquarian books. In 1967, he began a PhD program in art history at Stanford.
He served as Assistant Director and Chief Curator at the Stanford University Museum of Art from 1974 to 1977. Under the mentorship of Dr. Lorenz Eitner, Sven worked on the revitalization of galleries that had been damaged in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake.
Sven went on to have a successful career as an art consultant and appraiser, specializing in Old Master paintings, sculpture, prints, and drawings, as well as fine books. The Richard Diebenkorn Foundation, Getty Research Institute, and Achenbach Foundation for Graphic Arts were among his many clients.
Erudite yet humble, Sven found delight in life's simple pleasures-from picnics and coastal walks to hunting for flea market bargains. "Cheap and cheerful" was his motto.
During his final decade, Sven lived with his loving partner and companion Paulina Paczkowska, a Polish-born graphic designer and artist. They traveled extensively until his illness.
Sven cultivated a legion of friends and colleagues, both in the U.S. and abroad. He will be deeply missed by his family and the many who enjoyed the privilege and pleasure of his friendship.
A memorial service to celebrate Sven's rich and colorful life will be held in the spring of 2026.