Polly Sartori is a specialist in 19th Century European paintings, drawings and watercolors. After graduating from Wells College with a BA in Art History, she moved to New York City and was hired as an Assistant in the Department of European Paintings at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. While working full-time at The Met, she also studied at The Institute of Fine Arts of NYU, receiving her Masters Degree in Art History. 

In 1984, Polly was hired as a specialist in the 19th Century European Paintings Department at Christie’s in New York.  She was promoted to Head of the Department in 1986, and became a Senior Vice President in 1993 and Senior Director of Impressionist and 19th Century European Art in 1998. During her tenure at Christie’s, she was responsible for organizing over 50 auctions of 19th Century European Paintings.

In 2000, Polly left Christie’s for Sotheby’s New York, where she was a Senior Vice President and Head of Department for 19th Century European Art.  In her role, she organized over 40 auctions and under her direction, Sotheby’s 19th Century European Art sales achieved over $600 million, which included the highest auction total ever realized in this category ($60 million) and highest price ever paid for a single painting ($36 million).  Both records were set in November 2010.   In February 2016, excited to embark on a new phase in her career, Polly left Sotheby’s to join Eric Weider in the formation of Gallery 19C.  One of the gallery’s first sales was Paradise Lost by the French Academic painter, Alexandre Cabanel, which was purchased by the MusÉe d’Orsay
Polly lectures about 19th Century European Art, the art market and collecting.  She has appeared as a specialist/appraiser on the Antiques Roadshow, the PBS series produced by WGBH, Boston.