For more than half a century, a legendary private art collection likened to a miniature Musée d’Orsay has remained hidden from public view. On Wednesday, a painting by Vincent van Gogh created during the last two months of his life went on display in London ahead of a Sotheby’s auction in New York, where 12 impressionist and modern masterpieces are expected to fetch over $450 million.
The Bottom Line
- The Event: Twelve impressionist and modern masterpieces from the private collection of the late Argentinian collector Nelly Arrieta de Blaquier are on public display in London before an 18 November auction at Sotheby’s in New York.
- The Highlights: Vincent van Gogh’s Châtaigniers en fleurs carries an estimated value of $180m, while Paul Cézanne’s Arlequin is valued at $150m.
- The Itinerary: Following the London preview, the collection will travel to Taipei, Hong Kong, and Paris prior to the sale.
Unlocking the Mythical Blaquier-Arrieta Collection
For decades, the collection amassed by the late Nelly Arrieta de Blaquier—who died in 2020—held an almost mythical status within the fine art community. Philip Hook, a former director of impressionist and modern art at Sotheby’s, described the public unveiling of these works as a historic moment. “For decades the Blaquier-Arrieta collection has been the stuff of legend: whispered about, kept from public view, it has attained an almost mythical status in the art world,” Hook noted, adding that it represents “one of the last great private collections of impressionist and post-impressionist art, it was formed when major examples by the great names were still within reach.”
Simon Shaw, a senior art adviser at Sotheby’s, reinforced this sentiment by describing the grouping as “like a small museum – a miniature Musée d’Orsay, now opening its doors for the very first time.” The collection comprises 12 significant canvases, which went on display at Sotheby’s in London on Wednesday for a two-day preview. From there, the works embark on an international tour hitting Taipei, Hong Kong, and Paris before the auction on 18 November in New York.
The Provenance and Power of Van Gogh’s Final Months
At the center of the sale is Châtaigniers en fleurs (Chestnut Tree in Flower), which carries an estimated valuation of $180m (£136m). Painted in May 1890, the canvas dates back to the final two months of Van Gogh’s life, created shortly after his arrival in the French village of Auvers-sur-Oise following his discharge from the psychiatric hospital at Saint-Rémy-de-Provence. While most Van Gogh works from this period now hang in the world’s leading museums, this particular piece remained in private hands.
The painting’s history is as storied as its creation. Following Van Gogh’s death in July 1890, the work passed to his brother, Theo. A subsequent owner was George Gard “Buddy” DeSylva, the US songwriter and film producer who co-founded Capitol Records. It is one of only eight paintings that Van Gogh produced in Auvers that are in private hands.
Masterpieces Crossing the Block in New York
| Artist | Artwork | Estimated Value / Status |
|---|---|---|
| Vincent van Gogh | Châtaigniers en fleurs | $180m (£136m) |
| Paul Cézanne | Arlequin | $150m |
| Various Masters | 10 Additional Works (Monet, Renoir, Degas, Gauguin, Pissarro, Sisley, Derain, Toulouse-Lautrec, Vlaminck) | Part of the total $450m+ collection |
Alongside the Van Gogh masterpiece, the auction features Paul Cézanne’s Arlequin, painted in the late 19th century and valued at $150m. The remaining 10 works in the 12-piece consignment represent an exhaustive roll-call of European art history, including pieces by Paul Gauguin (such as Fleurs dans une coupe), Claude Monet (Le Jardin des Tuileries), Camille Pissarro, Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edgar Degas, Alfred Sisley, André Derain (including Bâteaux au port de Collioure, painted in 1905), Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, and Maurice de Vlaminck.
With the combined pre-sale estimates expected to fetch more than $450m, the upcoming November auction will take place in New York.
