Sting loved them… and he’s setting them free. Works from the legendary artist’s collection are due to be offered up at auction at Christie’s in London on 24 February 2016. Gordon “Sting” Sumner and his partner Trudie Styler have added to their collection over the past 20 years at their former family home at Queen Anne’s Gate in London.
More than 200 lots will be available, including abstracts by Ben Nicholson and Alan Reynolds and Robert Mapplethorpe photographs to sophisticated 20th century furniture and lighting that complement the primary colours of Matisse’s Jazz series and the “playfulness” of ceramics by Picasso, according to a description by the auction house. Estimates for the works range from US $1,500 to $770,000.
“Sting and Trudie Styler’s home at Queen Anne’s Gate effortlessly combined luxury, rarity and colour — a skilful balance that created the ultimate London home,” said Andy Waters, senior director, Head of Private Collection Sales at Christie’s London. “Each work of art was carefully chosen and the resulting collection is a testament to their informed eye for Art and Design.”
Highlights from the collection:
Ben Nicholson’s March 55 (amethyst), which is estimated in the upper price range, is from a crucial phase in Nicholson’s work – between the late 1940s and early 1950s – which secured him a position as the leading British abstract painter on the international stage.
Another piece that Christie’s has highlighted is Gustav Klimt’s Study of a Young Woman in Stockings – estimated to be worth up to $600,000. The drawing depicts a striding female nude and is taken from a series of drawings of the human figure in movement that the artist completed in 1906-1907.
Henri Matisse’s Jazz portfolio is described as a celebration of life and a riot of pure colour and form and is estimated to be worth $540,000. The piece is from 1947 and is a radical departure from the artist’s previous work. It’s considered one of the greatest and most influential print series of the 20th century.
Contemporary highlights include Keith Haring’s Untitled and Zeng Chaunxing’s Paper Bride (White), which are described as key examples of the zeitgeists within which each artist worked.