In a rare move, the Whitney Museum of American Art will alienate seven works from its collection, by Edward Hopper and other artists, to Sotheby’s next month.
A spokesperson for Whitney said in a statement that the decision to sell the artwork came after a “comprehensive study over several years of [the museum’s] collection.” Proceeds from the sale will be used to “support future acquisitions.” This will be the first time the museum has disposed of works from its collection since 2018.
Hopper’s plaintive landscape Cobb’s Barns, South Truro (1930-1933) highlights the group of works donated by the Whitney. He’ll hit the block at Sotheby’s Modern Art Evening Auction on May 16, bringing a presale estimate from $8 million to $12 million.
Also on sale are three Hopper watercolors, two pieces by John Marin and an oil painting by Maurice Prendergast. These works will be presented at Sotheby’s Modern Art Sale Day on May 17, with estimates ranging from $70,000 to $700,000.
“The works have been carefully reviewed and selected by Whitney Museum stakeholders as part of this scholarly review of the institution’s collections,” the statement continued. “The works were determined to be redundant within the collection. The Whitney looks forward to continuing to build and expand its collection. »
Hopper is particularly well represented in the museum’s collections. Notably, none of the artist’s works set to appear at auction were included in the recently closed Whitney’s artist retrospective. (Cobb’s Barns, South Truro did hang in the oval office during Barack Obama’s presidency.)
Jane Panetta, curator and director of the Whitney’s collection, elaborated on the museum’s upcoming sales in an interview with ART newswho first reported the alienation plan.
“We want to expand the collection,” she said. “It’s part of achieving that goal, and it’s a goal we’ve had for some time, really since the museum moved to its current location in 2015.”
Panetta underscored the Whitney’s founding mission to show the work of living American artists, noting that the three painters featured in next month’s sales have long been ill.
“We’re always thinking about how we define ‘the American art museum,’ making sure the collection accurately represents the United States,” she explained. “We think that means the collection needs to evolve. We need to try to fill critical gaps, and having endowment funds for acquisitions is a key way to do that.
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