Topline
More than 50 works of art from the collection of late cosmetics billionaire Leonard Lauder will be auctioned off next week by Sotheby’s—including original works by Gustav Klimt, Edvard Munch, Henri Matisse and Vincent van Gogh—in a sale expected to fetch nearly $500 million.
Leonard Lauder arriving at the Met Gala.
PA Images via Getty Images
Key Facts
Three pieces by revered Austrian painter Gustav Klimt that have never before been offered at auction are expected to fetch at least $300 million between them, including “Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer,” which will smash the artist’s auction record if it sells for near its estimated value.
Six sculptures by Henri Matisse, who was known primarily as a painter, are included in the collection and are worth at least $40 million together, according to Sotheby’s, including one of his largest-ever pieces, which is expected to sell for between $12 million and $18 million.
Also among the 55 pieces that will be sold are one of Edvard Munch’s “Midsummer Night” paintings, a pen, ink and pencil work by Vincent van Gogh, two Agnes Martin paintings and two pieces by Pablo Picasso.
Get Forbes Breaking News Text Alerts: We’re launching text message alerts so you’ll always know the biggest stories shaping the day’s headlines. Text “Alerts” to (201) 335-0739 or sign up here: joinsubtext.com/forbes.
“Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer” by Gustav Klimt.
Sotheby’s
The Biggest Ticket Items In Leonard Lauder’s Collection
- “Portrait of Elisabeth Lederer” by Gustav Klimt — Est. $150 million
- “Blumenwiese” (“Blooming Meadow”) by Gustav Klimt — Est. $80 million
- “Waldabhang bei Unterach am Attersee” (“Forest Slope in Unterach on the Attersee”) by Gustav Klimt — Est. $70 Million
- “Sankthansnatt” (“Midsummer Night”) by Edvard Munch — Est. $20 million to $30 million
- “Figure décorative” by Henri Matisse — Est. $12 million to $18 million
- “The Garden” by Agnes Martin — Est. $10 million to $15 million
- “La Serpentine” by Henri Matisse — Est. $9 million to $12 million
- “Le Semeur dans un champ de blé au soleil couchant” by Vincent van Gogh — Est. $8 million to $10 million
- “Nu couché I” (“Aurore”) by Henri Matisse— Est. $8 million to $10 million
- “Fränzi mit Pfeilbogen” (“Fränzi with Bow and Arrow”) by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner — Est. $2.5 million to $3.5 million
“Sankthansnatt” (“Midsummer Night”) by Edvard Munch.
Sotheby’s
“Le Semeur dans un champ de blé au soleil couchant” by Vincent van Gogh.
Sotheby’s