NEW YORK, NY.- On October 1, Christie’s Post-War to Present auction will offer over 200 works spanning the Post-War era to the most celebrated contemporary artists today.

Starting the sale will be Art Blocks Curated, Full Sets 1, 2 and 3 – 31 Projects, assembled by the Canadian collector Barcella, and Curio Cards, Full set of 30 cards plus 17b, a set of 31 NFTs considered to be some of the oldest artworks on the Ethereum blockchain. In a first for any leading auction house, the live bidding for Art Blocks Curated: Sets 1-3 will take place in Ether (ETH).

The top lot of the sale is Helen Frankenthaler’s Warming the Wires ($1,500,000-2,000,000), alongside a strong selection of works by female Abstract Expressionists including Joan Mitchell, Elaine de Kooning and Grace Hartigan.

A spectacular group of works by Wayne Thiebaud from the Collection of the Frances Hamilton White Trust will also highlight the sale. Frances collected widely, often buying directly from the artists’ studio, as in the case of the Thiebauds in her collection.

Also on offer is a seminal grouping of works by Charles White and Ernie Barnes from the collection of Hollywood producer Danny Arnold. Between Arnold and his wife Donna’s own cultural contributions and their personal friendships with both Charles White and Ernie Barnes, the Arnold family’s collection is rooted in a fascinating history of collecting and connoisseurship.

Bearing a dynamic selection, the sale will present a thoughtful offering of cross-category works that span the finest examples of contemporary art, NFTs, alongside design, such as Franz West’s Onkel Stuhl (Uncle Chair) [Ten Works]. The curated selection will unite the artists of the mid-twentieth century with their counterparts today in a seamless, thrilling dialogue that promises to deliver quality works for burgeoning and seasoned collectors alike.




SALE HIGHLIGHTS

• WAYNE THIEBAUD (B. 1920)
Ridge Valley Farms Study
oil on panel
12 ⅝ x 17 ⅛ in.
Painted in 2001.
$700,000-1,000,000

• WAYNE THIEBAUD (B. 1920)
Tomato Bowl
oil on paperboard mounted on panel
11 ⅜ x 8 ⅛ in.
Painted in 2003.
$600,000-800,000

• WAYNE THIEBAUD (B. 1920)
Jewelry Display
oil on Masonite
10 ⅞ x 16 ⅞ in.
Painted in 1976/1997.
$400,000-600,000

• ERNIE BARNES (1938-2009)
The Disco
acrylic on canvas
29 ⅞ x 39 ¾ in.
Painted in 1978.
$70,000-100,000

• CHARLES WHITE (1918-1979)
Black Man
charcoal and crayon on paper
18 ½ x 33 ½ in.
Executed in 1965.
$400,000-600,000

• ERNIE BARNES (1938-2009)
Five In Red
acrylic on canvas
35 ⅞ x 32 ⅛ in.
Painted in 1970.
$50,000-70,000

• JOAN MITCHELL (1925-1992)
Little Rain
diptych—oil on canvas
13 x 18 ⅞ in.
Painted in 1989.
$300,000-500,000

• ELAINE DE KOONING (1919-1989)
Echo Wall (Cave #68)
acrylic on canvas
84 x 66 in.
Painted in 1986/1988.
$100,000-150,000

• GRACE HARTIGAN (1922-2008)
Iron On Art
oil on canvas
73 ⅛ x 79 in.
Painted in 1978.
$80,000-120,000

• ANDY WARHOL (1928-1987)
Ladies and Gentlemen (Wilhelmina Ross) acrylic and silkscreen ink on canvas
14 x 11 in.
Painted in 1975.
$120,000-180,000

• JAMES ROSENQUIST (1933-2017)
The Light Bulb Shining and the Vessel
oil and acrylic on canvas mounted on panel with inset painted shoe and lightbulb
78 ¾ x 59 ¼ x 6 in.
Executed in 1991.
$350,000-550,000

• MICKALENE THOMAS (B. 1971)
Portrait of Aaliyah
acrylic, oil, oilstick, paper collage and rhinestones on panel mounted on panel
48 ⅛ x 60 x 2 in.
Executed in 2018.
$200,000-300,000