Sotheby's to auction Barbara Gladstone's collection in May 2025

Sotheby's has won the competition to auction the collection of legendary gallerist Barbara Gladstone, who died in June 2024 at age 89. The single-owner sale, titled The Collection of Barbara Gladstone, will take place in New York on May 15, 2025, featuring 12 lots with a combined estimate of $12 million. The works come from Gladstone's residences in Manhattan and Long Island, representing a small but significant portion of her holdings. Top lots include Richard Prince's monumental painting Man Crazy Nurse (2003, est. $4-6 million) and his Joke painting Are You Kidding? (1988, est. $2.5-3.5 million). Other highlights include Andy Warhol's Flowers (1964, est. $1-1.5 million), one of only four examples with black flowers; Rudolf Stingel's small self-portrait Untitled (Bolego) (2006, est. $1.5-2 million); and works by Mike Kelley, Carroll Dunham, Elizabeth Peyton, Alighiero Boetti, and Sigmar Polke, the latter with a piece dedicated to Gladstone. Gladstone founded her gallery in 1980, representing over 70 artists and estates including Andy Warhol, Richard Prince, Mike Kelley, Matthew Barney, Robert Mapplethorpe, Robert Rauschenberg, Keith Haring, Alex Katz, Joan Jonas, and Salvo. The artists in the sale are not currently represented by the gallery, though some like Prince and Dunham were in the past. Lisa Dennison, Chairman of Sotheby's Americas, noted the collection tells the story of Gladstone's 40-year involvement in the art world.