NEW YORK, NY.- Christie's will present The Collection of Agnes Gund, a selection of three masterpieces from the personal collection of one of the most generous, beloved, and impactful art patrons of all time. The collection of Agnes “Aggie” Gund will be a centerpiece of Christie's Marquee Week in New York in May 2026, offering works by pioneers of the modern and post-war eras: Mark Rothko, Cy Twombly and Joseph Cornell. These works represent the very essence of both Agnes Gund and her collection: passion, excellence, and connoisseurship. This will be a convening moment to come together and celebrate the legacy of Gund, an inimitable collector and activist whose legacy of supporting artists, promoting access to the arts, making transformative gifts to museums, and working tirelessly for causes she believed in continues to shape the art world.

Bonnie Brennan, Christie's Chief Executive Officer, remarks, “Agnes Gund was singular. A renowned collector, a trusted leader, and a passionate activist who lived her life with purpose, generosity, and meaningful civic engagement. She believed in the power of creativity to foster change and challenge society, and the art world as we know it today is defined by her legacy. We are forever grateful to her, and for her impact. We are honored and privileged to offer three masterpieces from her collection as a centerpiece of Christie's Marquee Week in New York this May. It will be a celebration of Aggie, and all that she has given to the worlds of art and culture.”

The top lot in the collection is a monumental piece by Mark Rothko entitled No. 15 (Two Greens and Red Stripe) (estimate: in the region of $80 million). Painted in 1964, the dramatic canvas—a rare example of Rothko using green, black and deep indigo alongside the striking red stripe—was created six years after Rothko began shifting his palette to employ darker, brooding tones, beginning with his famed Seagram Mural commission of 1958. The work, an incredible 93 inches (236.2 cm) in height, is also the largest work from this period that is held in private hands. Gund bought the work directly from Rothko during a visit to his studio in 1967, and is one of only seven painting acquired directly from the artist that still remain with their original buyer; four are held in institutional collections and only three, including this work, are in private collections.

Sara Friedlander, Christie's Chairman of Post-War and Contemporary Art, remarks, “Mark Rothko's body of work embodies a rarified power, intimacy, and attraction that is truly singular—and this monumental Rothko canvas from the collection of Aggie Gund is unequivocally best-in-class. Acquired directly from Rothko in his studio in the 1960s (at his recommendation), this work boasts unmatched provenance. For years, it has held pride of place in her great living room, standing as a cornerstone of her unbelievable collection—and it will soon embark on a world tour, culminating with the auction in New York this May. We could not be more thrilled and honored to present this absolute masterpiece to the market.”

The collection also features the 1961 Cy Twombly painting Untitled (estimate: $40 – 60 million), a superb example of the artist's work at the culmination of a defining period in his oeuvre. Painted in Rome, it is filled with the expressive gestures and emotive use of color that defines the best paintings from this important period of his career. Works of similar quality are in the permanent collections of the Museum of Modern Art, New York and the Art Institute of Chicago.

The final work from the collection is Joseph Cornell's 1948 Untitled (Medici Princess) (estimate: $3 - 5 million). From his seminal series inspired by the Renaissance, this work blends together high art with discarded materials to create a magical and surreal world, and when paired with the other works being offered, clearly shows Gund's wide-ranging collecting taste.

Born in Cleveland in 1938, Agnes “Aggie” Gund had a love of art instilled in her from a young age, first encouraged by her parents and teachers and further developed through her undergraduate and graduate studies. In 1967, she joined MoMA's Painting and Sculpture Committee, embarking on what would become a lifelong relationship with the world famous institution Less than a decade later, she became a member of the Board of Trustees, and in 1991 became president—a position she held for 11 years. As president, Gund skillfully guided the museum through the turn of the millennium, notably spearheading the onset of an $858 million expansion project that nearly doubled the museum's size, reshaping and reimagining the institution for the next generation.

In her time as president and as president emerita, Gund donated over 1,000 works from her personal collection to MoMA and more than 800 to other public institutions. With a focus on supporting living artists, many of her gifts included contemporary pieces by artists such as Louise Bourgeois, Jasper Johns, Ellsworth Kelly, Yayoi Kusama, Brice Marden, Agnes Martin, James Rosenquist, and Kara Walker. Gund's deep interest in art was clear through the close friendships that she developed with many of these artists throughout the course of her life. She was passionate about the creative process in its entirety, endeavoring to be present where the art making was taking place.

In 2017, Gund made headlines when she famously sold the most prized painting from her personal collection, Masterpiece by Roy Lichtenstein (1962), for $165 million to fund a new initiative to combat the systemic injustice of mass incarceration. Proceeds of the sale were used to fund Art for Justice, a time-limited project dedicated to reframing narratives around the criminal justice reform through art.

Among Gund's many notable and impact contributions to the community is Studio in a School, an arts education organization founded in 1977 in response to New York City defunding arts education in public schools. Now nearing its 50th year, Studio in a School continues to foster and support the creative and intellectual development of children across the city and has impacted the lives of more than a million children. Christie's is a proud partner of Studio in a School and has supported the organization for over a decade in various capacities.

The Collection of Agnes Gund will be on display at Christie's in Rockefeller Center in May. The Rothko and the Twombly will also go on a global tour, with locations including London, Paris and Hong Kong.