Sotheby's to sell Blaquier-Arrieta Collection, led by van Gogh and Cézanne, on 18 November
Sotheby's will auction twelve Impressionist and modern works from the Argentine Blaquier-Arrieta collection in New York on 18 November. A van Gogh is estimated at $180m and a Cézanne at $120m.
Updated (version 2). New coverage since the last version from Arab News, New York Post.
1 / 3
The story, neutrally told
Sotheby's will sell the Blaquier-Arrieta Collection, twelve Impressionist and modern works, in New York on 18 November. Evening StandardN “Sotheby’s will offer the Blaquier-Arrieta Collection, a group of impressionist and modern paintings, in New York on November 18.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ New York PostR “A dozen Impressionist and post-Impressionist artworks collectively valued at almost half a billion dollars” Read at New York Post ↗ The Evening Standard puts the expected total at about $450m (£338m); CBS and the AP copy carried by the New York Post say almost half a billion dollars. Evening StandardN “expected to fetch around 450 million US dollars (£338 million) at auction” Read at Evening Standard ↗ CBS NewsLC “collectively valued at almost half a billion dollars” Read at CBS News ↗ Van Gogh's "Châtaigniers en fleurs" is estimated at $180m and Cézanne's "Arlequin" at $120m; neither has been seen in public for about 50 years. CBS NewsLC “Neither has been seen in public for half a century.” Read at CBS News ↗ Evening StandardN “Neither has been seen in public for more than 50 years.” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Sotheby's says both are expected to set records for the artists. Evening StandardN “both are poised to establish new auction records.” Read at Evening Standard ↗ New York PostR “are expected to smash records for the artists” Read at New York Post ↗ The van Gogh was painted in May 1890, after his release from the Saint-Rémy psychiatric asylum and shortly before his death. Evening StandardN “Chataigniers En Fleurs was painted in May 1890” Read at Evening Standard ↗ New York PostR “He took his own life two months later.” Read at New York Post ↗ The works come from Argentine collectors Carlos Pedro Blaquier and Nelly Arrieta de Blaquier; CBS and AP say their children are selling. CBS NewsLC “are being sold by their children” Read at CBS News ↗ Evening StandardN “Carlos Pedro Blaquier and Nelly Arrieta de Blaquier, Argentinian art collectors” Read at Evening Standard ↗
Other lots include works by Renoir, Pissarro, Degas, Monet, Sisley, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Derain and Vlaminck. Evening StandardN “two Fauve paintings by Andre Derain and Maurice de Vlaminck” Read at Evening Standard ↗ Sotheby's Helena Newman called it a "mini-Musée D'Orsay"; the Standard quotes colleague Simon Shaw with a similar comparison. CBS NewsLC “mini-Musée D'Orsay” Read at CBS News ↗ Evening StandardN “a miniature Musee d’Orsay, now opening its doors for the very first time” Read at Evening Standard ↗ CBS and AP add that Newman expects buyers from tech billionaires to Middle Eastern institutions, and that former Sotheby's auctioneer Philip Hook calls the collection "the stuff of legend" because it was never loaned out. New York PostR “potential buyers ranging from American tech billionaires to well-endowed Middle Eastern institutions” Read at New York Post ↗ CBS NewsLC “the collection "really is the stuff of legend," because the collectors did not loan out the works for exhibitions” Read at CBS News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on.
Left1 outlet
- Framing
- Leads on the van Gogh's $180m estimate and an art-market angle of collectors seeking security.
- Emphasis
- Newman's and Hook's comments, buyer profile, and the collection's secrecy.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Fewer details on secondary lots and estimates; no sterling figures.
- Charged language
- “fabled private collection”“smash records”
- For example
-
“in uncertain times, ultrawealthy art collectors are seeking security in masterpieces” — CBS News
Centre1 outlet
- Framing
- Sale announcement from the London unveiling, with detail on lots and sterling conversions.
- Emphasis
- Full list of lots, estimates and Sotheby's quotes on the collection's museum quality.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention that the children are selling, or the market-uncertainty reading and buyer profile.
- Charged language
- “legendary”
- For example
-
“We’ve called the collection legendary because indeed it is legendary.” — Evening Standard
Right2 outlets
- Framing
- AP copy run by the New York Post, leading on paintings 'hidden' for 50 years and the $450M total.
- Emphasis
- Secrecy of the works and headline value.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Same text as the wire story; no independent additions.
- Charged language
- “hidden for 50 years”“sugar magnate”
- For example
-
“Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne paintings hidden for 50 years featured in Sotheby’s $450M auction” — New York Post
What every side reports
- Sale at Sotheby's in New York on 18 November
- Van Gogh's Châtaigniers en fleurs estimated at $180m and Cézanne's Arlequin at $120m
- Neither has been seen in public for about 50 years
- Collection built by Argentine collectors Carlos Pedro Blaquier and Nelly Arrieta de Blaquier
- Sotheby's expects record prices for the two leading works
Where accounts differ
-
Total expected value
- Left
- Almost half a billion dollars.
- Centre
- About $450m (£338m).
- Right
- Headline says $450m; text says almost half a billion dollars.
-
Van Gogh's Châtaigniers en fleurs is estimated at $180 million.
Reported- Supports 1
- Evening Standard
- Reports 2
- CBS News, New York Post
-
The van Gogh and Cézanne have not been seen in public for about 50 years.
Supported- Supports 3
- CBS News, Evening Standard, New York Post
Sotheby's organisation
Presents the collection as exceptional, rare and museum-quality, with two lots expected to set records.
“It’s one of the most important groups of works of impressionist and post-impressionist art from a private collection that we’ve ever offered.” — Evening Standard
““(This) museum-quality Impressionist collection … is pretty rare.”” — New York Post
Left1 article
-
Van Gogh painting not seen in decades could fetch $180 million at auction
Neutral Wire-style report stressing the record potential and collectors' flight to safe assets.
Centre1 article
-
Collection of ‘legendary’ artworks led by van Gogh set to fetch £338m at auction
Celebratory Reports the sale with Sotheby's superlatives and detailed lot estimates.
Right2 articles
-
New York PostR · · via AP
Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne paintings hidden for 50 years featured in Sotheby’s $450M auction
Neutral AP copy with a headline emphasising works 'hidden' for 50 years and the $450M value.
- 30 Sep 13:33 First Evening StandardN Collection of ‘legendary’ artworks led by van Gogh set to fetch £338m at auction
- 30 Sep 15:26 +1h 53m CBS NewsLC Van Gogh painting not seen in decades could fetch $180 million at auction
- 30 Sep 16:23 +2h 50m New York PostR Vincent van Gogh, Paul Cézanne paintings hidden for 50 years featured in Sotheby’s $450M auction via AP
- 30 Sep 19:46 +6h 13m Arab NewsRC Works by van Gogh and Cézanne up for sale in Sotheby’s $450m auction
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.