Vincent Melzac

[3] By training an educator, Melzac was short of stature, but not boldness, a characteristic reflected both in his business affairs and his art collection.

Serving concurrently with director Gene Baro in an awkward administrative structure, he reduced the gallery's deficit from more than $535,000 to about $100,000 in two years.

[5] On November 3, 1972, at a black tie reception celebrating the opening of a major Sam Francis exhibition, Melzac and Baro came to blows.

As recalled by Roy Slade (who succeeded Baro as Corcoran director), Melzac seemed upset that people were not paying attention to his wife, busty and blonde, in a glittering silver dress.

He made a donation of seven horses to the people of Ireland in 1989 but when they arrived at the Irish National Stud they were considered "quite inferior" and not of breeding quality.