Amnon Barzel

Amnon Barzel (; July 5, 1935 – August 9, 2025) was an Israeli internationally known art curator and author.

Education Barzel was a graduate of the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, where he majored in Natural Science. He earned his post-graduate degree in Art History at the University La Sorbonne in Paris. Artistic Director of the Mercedes Benz Prize for Contemporary Art, Monte Firidolfi, Italy (1997); Artistic Director of Artostrada (1998); and Curator of the International Project of Environmental Sculpture in Israel (1997–98).

Barzel was also the founding director of Centro per l'arte contemporanea Luigi Pecci in 1988. He left the museum in 1992.

In 1994 Barzel was appointed Director of the Jewish Museum in Berlin. His departure in 1997 followed a controversy about the museum's independence.

Death Barzel died on August 9, 2025, at the age of 90.

Publications Barzel authored and edited more than 100 art books, monographs and exhibition catalogues, including:

Isaac Alexander Frenel. Jerusalem: Massada Press, 1974. Art in Israel, Giancarlo Politi Editore, Milan, 1987. Two Environments for Peace, Il Bisonte, Florence, 1988. Europe Now, Electa, Milan, and Giunti, Florence, 1988. Utopia-Italian Art, Palladion A.G., Zurich, 1993. Arte e Industria, Marcos y Marcos, Milan, 1996. Deutschland Bilder, DuMont, Cologne, 1997. German Art, Yale University Press, New Heaven, 1998. Joseph Beuys, Silvana Editoriale, Milan, 2001. Franco Ionda, Motta Editore, Milan, 2001. Dialoghi Europei d’Arte, Editoriale Modo, Amsterdam, 2002. Emblema,"Colore e Trasparenza", Torcular Edizioni d'Arte, Rome, 2005. Viola: Re-thinking Nature, Skira, Milan, 2005. Re-Thinking Nature: Franco Viola, Mondadori Electa, Milan, 2005. Israel: Hundred years of Art and Life, Proedi Editore, Milan, 2006. Hans Hartung: Monography, Continents, Milan, 2007. Arte Ambientale, Villa Celle Sculpture Park, Gli Ori, Pistoia, 2008.