Masterpieces by Botticelli, Renoir, Cezanne, Hockney and Lichtenstein from the collection of the late Paul Allen, co founder of Microsoft, will be sold by Christie’s in November. What promises to be the largest art auction in history is expected to realise around $1 billion. Proceeds will go to charity, as Seattle born Allen, who died aged 65 in 2018, had wished. Among many highlights of a collection that ranges from Old Masters to giants of Contemporary art is a large Cezanne painting of Mont Saint Victoire, a recurring subject of the artist. It is expected to make more than $100 million. The sale of 150 lots is expected to surpass the sale of the Macklowe Collection ($922 million) which concluded at Sotheby’s earlier this year and David Rockefeller’s Collection ($835 million) at Christie’s in 2018. Final details of exactly which works are to be offered are not yet available.
Estimate in excess of $100 million. Courtesy of the Paul G. Allen Estate. UPDATE: THIS SOLD FOR A RECORD $137,790,000