Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Art Collection Set for February Auction

Including works by Andy Warhol and Joan Mirò, among many others

Christo and Jeanne-Claude in 2002
Christo and Jeanne-Claude discuss a drawing for their latest work-in-progress "Over the River; Project for the Arkansas River, Colorado," 29 January, 2002 at the National Gallery in Washington, DC.
ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images

Over the course of their long careers in art, Christo and Jeanne-Claude assembled a fascinating and esoteric collection of artwork, along with other intriguing and design-adjacent objects. Following Christo’s death earlier this year (Jeanne-Claude died in 2009), that collection is being sold at auction via Sotheby’s, reports Cassie Packard at Hyperallergic. Proceeds from the auction will go to the estate of the late artists.

Unwrapped: The Hidden World of Christo and Jeanne-Claude is scheduled for February 17, 2021. The Sotheby’s description for the auction cites the presence of “selected works linked to Andy Warhol, Yves Klein, Lucio Fontana, Claes Oldenburg, Marcel Duchamp, William Copley, Nam June Paik, and many more.”

In the case of Warhol, that includes a portrait of Jackie Kennedy by Warhol and his collection of cookie jars. Artwork by Claes Oldenburg and Joan Mirò is also slated for inclusion in the auction.

As one might expect, a number of items related to Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s own art will also be part of the auction. This will include work from 1991’s The Umbrellas, Joint Project for Japan and USA and 1985’s The Pont Neuf Wrapped, Project for Paris. At the time of its unveiling, the Los Angeles Times called the latter “lovely and understated” and hailed its ability to revitalize Paris.

This auction may well bring to mind memories of the duo’s past projects, as well as giving a broader sense of the artistic community that helped nourish that work.

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