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Christie’s Sets May Sale of Agnes Gund Masterworks, Led by $80 Million Rothko

The sale spotlights the works’ lived-with provenance, with proceeds earmarked for settling her estate rather than a new initiative.

Overview

  • Christie’s will offer three works from Gund’s personal collection in its New York marquee sales in May: a Mark Rothko, a Cy Twombly and a Joseph Cornell.
  • Rothko’s No. 15 (Two Greens and Red Stripe), painted in 1964 and acquired by Gund directly from the artist in 1967, carries an estimate around $80 million and has never appeared at auction.
  • Cy Twombly’s Untitled (1961) is estimated at $40 million to $60 million, and Joseph Cornell’s Untitled (Medici Princess) from 1948 is estimated at $3 million to $5 million.
  • The Rothko and the Twombly will tour London, Paris and Hong Kong before a Rockefeller Center exhibition ahead of the May sales.
  • Christie’s says proceeds will be used to settle Gund’s estate, and reporting notes the auction house provided a financial guarantee to secure the consignment.