The single-owner sale dedicated to the collection of Ed Cohen and Victoria Shaw at Sotheby’s in New York on March 2 is largely focused on Post-War and Contemporary Art. Entitled In Its Own Light the auction includes examples of German Expressionism and Modern British art. The New York couple’s collection was created over 35 years and reflects the close relationships (often grounded in a shared passion for literature), between Ed Cohen and many of the artists represented, as well as with gallerists such as Anthony d’Offay and Marian Goodman. Highlights include pieces by Joseph Beuys, John Currin, Cecily Brown, Brice Marden, Anselm Kiefer, Agnes Martin, William Kentridge and Gerhard Richter. Richter was collected in particular depth with a range of works – from a smaller-scale example of the artist’s signature abstraction, to examples from the important, but less well-known Souvenir and Painted Photograph series.
Allan Schwartzman, Chairman, Sotheby’s Fine Arts Division commented: “The Cohen Collection defines collecting at its best, as it includes the highest level of selectivity and connoisseurship, a very personal and finely honed assembly of artists spanning many generations, and an articulate and unwavering commitment to the most timeless of subjects for art—the human condition. Whether with artists collected in depth, or represented by a single work, the Cohens have consistently collected works that get to the heart of each artist represented, not always in the most obvious way, but always in the most insightful.” Ed Cohen is also known as a generous supporter of a number of museums, most notably the Tate where a gallery is named for him. The sale is estimated to fetch $4/6 million. It will be followed by the contemporary curated auction. Both sales are timed to coincide with The Armory Show, with exhibitions opening on February 24.
Gerhard Richter
Abstraktes Bild (843-4),1997 ($600/800,000)
Cecily Brown Bonus, 2004 ($300/400,000_
Anselm Kiefer Stefan I, 1975 ($150/200,000)
John Currin The Florist, 2003 ($400-600,000_
