Fine art and memorabilia from the personal collection of television legend Samuel “Sam” Simon (1955-2015) – co-creator of The Simpsons – will come up across a series of auctions at Sotheby’s in New York this autumn. Sam Simon’s passions extended beyond television to include a notable career as a boxing manager, as well as a lasting legacy as a champion of animal rights. To that end, full proceeds from the sale of his collection will benefit the multi-platform Sam Simon Charitable Giving Foundation, which supports both animal welfare programs and poverty alleviation and disaster relief organisations. He was showrunner on Taxi and a writer/producer/director on countless pop culture icons of the small screen.
Sam Simon’s creative eye manifested itself in his extensive art collection, which spans an impressive range of styles, genres and mediums. The strong figurative vein that runs throughout the group is evidenced in paintings such as Thomas Hart Benton’s T.P. and Jake, in which the artist communicates the emotional connection between a boy and his dog in beautiful detail ($1.5/2.5 million). That work held such personal significance to Simon that it is pictured in the logo for the Sam Simon Foundation.
Thomas Hart Benton, T.P. and Jake.
Auguste Rodin, Balzac en robe de dominic
Circa 1990 The Simpsons Data East Pinball Machine
An interior shot of Sam Simon’s house in Los Angeles.
Mel Ramos, Val Veeta
Simon’s Personal The Simpsons Jacket
