A Family Collection: Works on Paper, Van Gogh to Freud

New York

Sale Overview

This spring, Christie’s 20th - 21st Century department presents A Family Collection: Works on Paper, Van Gogh to Freud, a dedicated Evening Sale of eight exceptional works on paper from a single collection. Held in New York on 1 March 2021, the sale will take place ahead of the Modern British Art Evening Sale held in London. Headlining A Family Collection: Works on Paper, Van Gogh to Freud is Vincent van Gogh’s La Mousmé (executed in Arles circa 31 July - 3 August 1888, estimate: $7,000,000-10,000,000), one of the finest works on paper of the artist’s career, with additional highlights including René Magritte’s Journal intime (executed circa 1954, estimate: $2,500,000-3,500,000) and a rare Self-portrait by Lucian Freud (executed in 1974, estimate: $1,800,000-2,500,000). The sale also includes seminal works on paper by Georges Seurat, Henry Moore, and Augustus John.

If you’d like to learn more about a work, our specialists are on hand for consultations and virtual viewing appointments. All of our live auctions are enabled for remote bidding from desktop or mobile app via the Christie’s LIVE™ real-time bidding platform.

Explore the auction in person at our New York galleries beginning 16 February by appointment. Please contact info@christies.com to schedule a viewing or for more information.

Auction times

01 Mar 02:00 PM (EST) Lots 1-8

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Our specialist’s selection

Brought to you by

Giovanna Bertazzoni

Vice-Chairman, 20th - 21st Century Department | Impressionist & Modern Art

Giovanna Bertazzoni is Vice-Chairman, 20th - 21st Century Department, leading the team of <a href="https://www.christies.com/departments/Impressionist-and-Modern-Art-29-1.aspx">Impressionist and Modern Art</a> Specialists as well as collaborating with the <a href="https://www.christies.com/departments/Post-War-and-Contemporary-Art-74-1.aspx">Post-War and Contemporary</a> team to present innovative cross-category sales to the global market. Giovanna oversaw the Impressionist and Modern Art Department's global expansion in Asia, and was instrumental in selling the first Picasso ever offered in Mainland China, during Christie's inaugural sale in Shanghai in September 2013. Giovanna’s dynamic leadership brought her team to great success in the landmark sale <a href="https://www.christies.com/features/Pablo-Picassos-Les-femmes-dAlger-6039-3.aspx">‘Looking Forward to the Past’</a> at Christie’s in New York, in May 2015, which saw Les femmes d'Alger (Version 'O'), 1955, by Pablo Picasso set the World Auction Record for Any Work of Art, when it sold for $179,365,000. Giovanna’s international outlook has ensured stellar results are achieved in both London and New York, with particular emphasis on Picasso portraits, such as Femme assise, robe bleue (May 2017, New York) and Femme écrivant (Marie-Thérèse) (June 2017, London). Giovanna’s passion for works on paper has driven the market for this intimate art form with dedicated sales at Christie’s for 22 years. A personal highlight for Giovanna was the sale of Paul Cézanne’s drawings and watercolours from the Chappuis Barut Collection in June 2003. In 2020, Giovanna’s creativity and market intelligence were brought together with that of Alex Rotter and together they co-led the implementation of ONE, the first of its kind global relay auction, live-streamed from Christie’s salerooms in Hong Kong, Paris, London and New York. Responding to the need to reimagine the traditional Evening Sale format as a result of the COVID-19 virus, the innovative sale ultimately yielded the highest result for any auction that year. Giovanna started her career at Christie's in 1998 and has since forged and continues to cultivate strong relationships with a global network of major private collectors, particularly with collectors of works on paper, and graphic arts departments of major European and American museums. Giovanna lives in London with her husband Andrea and son Martino.