William Curtis Rolf

William Curtis Rolf devotes his fine art practice to grand‑scale architecture, Equestrian traditions, Historic automotive design, and Classical formal gardens.

Inspired by 17th, 18th, and 19th century European lifestyles, his work is sought after by premium residential interior designers, corporate art consultants, and selective art directors. Today, his limited‑edition fine art prints appear in prestigious private and institutional collections across five continents, reflecting a career defined by rare access, architectural precision, and cultural heritage.

In the Artist's Words: The Journey to Fine Art

"In 1997, having spent over twenty years making photographs for advertising clients, I decided to redirect a large portion of my creative time and energy toward making photographs of interest solely to me and if others happened to enjoy them too, so much the better. At that time, I was an avid horseman and visited the Royal Mews Buckingham Palace, London, where the Queen stables her coach horses; it was a thrill.

I revisited this sublime equestrian palace in my mind’s eye during the flight back to California and somewhere over Greenland I decided to go ahead and insinuate myself into superb and historic equestrian settings throughout Britain in order to make photographs to exhibit and publish. The vision was realized in collaboration with Giles Worsley, Britain’s foremost architectural historian and expert on equestrian architecture. During three extensive trips from 1998 through 2000 we explored and recorded over forty locations, culminating in the publication of The British Stable. More than just the ultimate photographic experience; it was the full Wodehousian fantasy!

The British experience was so gratifying that I collaborated on a similar project with Pascal Liévaux, noted French architectural historian and now Conservateur du Patrimoine with France’s Ministry of Culture and Communication. During four extended trips Pascal and I recorded fifty or so of France’s most captivating vintage equestrian architectural locations—each one a fantasy land taking us back centuries—resulting in hundreds of my favorite images and another definitive tome on equestrian architecture: Les écuries des châteaux français.

Encouragement from the start came from Donald Nowicki and Foster Witt at Ralph Lauren Art Acquisition Department, who at first purchased my prints for use by the company.

Then in 2006 and 2007 they arranged to exhibit my British and French stables prints in Ralph Lauren flagship stores in New York, Chicago, Beverly Hills and London.

Before leaving for an extended stay in Paris in 2005 I called Donald Nowicki to have him recommend a location to explore in that magical place; he immediately exclaimed, “You have to photograph Deyrolle—the taxidermy store in a 17th century hôtel particulier on the left bank”.

I did this in 2005 and later during several visits, and the resulting images are among my most whimsical.

My aesthetic intention has always been to delight in exploring and photographing esoteric subjects then have viewers share in my delight."

— William Curtis Rolf

Key Exhibitions & Collections

• Musée de l’Île de France — Honored with a one‑man exhibition at the museum’s dedication at Château de Sceaux near Paris; his works are now preserved in the permanent collection.
• Ralph Lauren — Fine art edition prints have been exhibited and acquired for flagship stores worldwide.
• Provenance & Collectibility —Every photograph in the archive is offered as a limited edition, printed on archival, museum‑quality fine art paper. Custom sizes are available upon request while preserving the original aspect ratio. Works may be produced in color, black and white, or sepia, and each print is accompanied by a signed Certificate of Authenticity.

Published Monographs

• The British Stable — A definitive study of the social history and architectural evolution of British stables, featuring over 100 color photographs created with English architectural historian Giles Worsley.
• Les Écuries des Châteaux Français — A landmark volume mapping French equestrian history and architectural design, produced after a four‑year collaboration with French art historian Pascal Liévaux.
• Studio Note: His extensive international travels have also produced standalone historical archives, including a deep structural exploration of the Wonders of China.

Creative Focus & Heritage

• Historical Architecture — Blending historic and modern structural elements with strict geometric symmetry and a touch of whimsy.
• Equestrian Traditions — Showcasing ancestral stables, classical tack rooms, and the fine art of horsemanship.
• Natural History & Preservation — Documenting the rare taxidermy collections and archival specimens of Paris’s historic Maison Deyrolle to explore the intersection of science and surrealist art.
• Intimate Authenticity — Leveraging a lifelong background as an active horseback rider to bring technical depth to his equine series.

Professional Experience & Timeline

• Fine Art Practice (1997–Present) — Over twenty‑eight years devoted to exhibition‑scale fine art, securing exclusive private access to restricted European châteaux using top‑tier Hasselblad systems.
• Creative Director of Advertising Photography (1980s–2000s) — More than two decades directing high‑end visual campaigns, lighting design, and global print production for E. & J. Gallo Winery.
• Commercial Advertising Photographer (1970s–2000s) — A distinguished 31‑year commercial career, including foundational work at the esteemed Sid Avery Studio in Los Angeles, renowned for iconic portraits of Hollywood stars.

Education

• Bachelor of Arts (BA) in English Literature — University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
• Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) in Photography — Art Center College of Design (Pasadena, CA)