Christie’s has announced that it will auction 12 Impressionist and modern artworks from the collection of philanthropist Anne Bass.
Anne Bass was the ex-wife of Sid Richardson Bass, a Texas business giant who made his money from oil. Bass started collecting art in the 1970s, particularly Impressionist and modern art. She was also a philanthropist, giving funding to art institutions like the Museum of Modern Art, New York Botanical Garden and Fort Worth Museum. At her peak during the 90s, she was counted among the top art collectors in the world. Anne Bass died in 2020, at the age of 72.
The 12 works from the Bass collection are collectively estimated to be worth $250 million. The collection includes works from the likes of Edgar Degas, Mark Rothko and Claude Monet. The works will go on auction in a single-day sale during Christie’s marquee modern and contemporary art sale scheduled for May this year.
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The highlight of the Anne Bass lot is two works by Rothko. Untitled (Shade of Red) is estimated to be worth $60-80 million, while No. 1 is estimated at around $45-65 million. Three works by Monet, each estimated at around $30-$60 million, are also included in the lot. A sculpture of a young dancer by Degas, meanwhile, is estimated between $20 million and $30 million. Bonnie Brennan (President, Americas Region, Christie’s) said: “The collection of Anne Bass represents everything that today’s buyers are seeking.” Expectations from the sale are high since a similar auction last year – Impressionist and modern art from the collection of Texas oil magnate Edwin L. Cox – fetched $332 million.
