Christie’s to Auction Four Picasso Portraits of His Muses and Wives

Christie’s will auction four portraits by Pablo Picasso depicting his muses and wives on November 11, 2018, in New York. The lots come from the collection of Sam Rose and his wife Julie Walters, including Femme au béret orange et au col de fourrure (Marie-Thérèse Walter, 1937), Buste de femme (Dora Maar, 1939), Portrait of Françoise Gilot (1947–48), and Buste de femme nue (Jacqueline Roque, 1963). Estimated total value is $28 million. Conor Jordan, vice president of Impressionist and Modern Art, noted the collection traces Picasso’s creative evolution over 25 years. Meanwhile, Christie’s also secured the sale of David Hockney’s Portrait of an Artist (Pool with Two Figures) from magnate Joe Lewis, with an $80 million estimate, aiming to break the record for a living artist. The auction is scheduled for November 15. Separately, Sotheby’s plans to expand into India with regular auctions at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel starting December, led by CEO Jan Prasens, and will hold a fall sale of World War I-era works by Marsden Hartley, Ludwig Meidner, and Franz Marc.