NEW YORK (AP) β An auctioneer says 90 works from the collection of the renowned art benefactors Pierre and Sao (sow) Schlumberger (shluhm-bur-ZHAY’) could realize $85 million.
The star among the 20th century artworks is Mark Rothko’s “No. 21 (Red, Brown, Black and Orange).” Sotheby’s predicts the 1951 painting could exceed $50 million at the four-day November sale.
By the time Schlumberger married in 1961, the oil billionaire had already amassed important works by modern masters including Henri Matisse and Pierre Bonnard.
His wife expanded the collection to include contemporary artists such as Andy Warhol and Robert Rauschenberg.
Central figures in New York and Parisian society, the Schlumbergers helped fund the restoration of Versailles (vehr-SY’). They were the first patrons to commission Warhol for a silkscreen portrait.
The auction will be Nov. 4-5 and Nov. 11-12.
