Sotheby’s brings to Abu Dhabi fabled art of revered constellation of artists

From October 1-2, Sotheby’s, one of the world’s premier destinations for art and luxury, is bringing to Abu Dhabi a group of masterworks – together valued at $150 million – by six of the most revered names in art history – from Vincent van Gogh to Paul Gauguin, and from Frida Kahlo to Edvard Munch, René Magritte and Camille Pissaro. The two-day exhibition, to be held at the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation, will be a landmark: it will be the first public exhibition of Fine Art ever staged by Sotheby’s in Abu Dhabi, and the most valuable exhibition of any kind ever staged by Sotheby’s in the region.

In addition to their quality and art historical importance, each of the works to be exhibited boasts an illustrious provenance, having long-resided in celebrated private collections.

The striking landscape by Edvard Munch, for example, comes to auction from the collection of Leonard A. Lauder, one of greatest collectors and benefactors of the arts in America, while the van Gogh and Gauguin paintings hung until recently in the Chicago home of Cindy and Jay Pritzker, tireless champions of the arts in all forms, whose impact on the cultural life of their home city is immense, and whose renowned prize for architecture has honoured many of the world’s leading architects, including Jean Nouvel, designer of the Louvre Abu Dhabi, and Frank Gehry, architect of the new Abu Dhabi arm of the Guggenheim. The Pritzker collection also includes major works by Wassily Kandinsky, Henri Matisse, Joan Miró, Max Beckmann, and Ernst Ludwig Kirchner.

Romans Parisiens (Les Livres jaunes) by Vincent Van Gogh.

Also exhibited will be an extraordinary painting by René Magritte from the collection of Matthew and Kay Bucksbaum, leading American philanthropists known for their contributions to the arts, education and civic life. Frida Kahlo’s El sueño (La cama) was painted in 1940, a year of intense personal turmoil for her. It is an evocative meditation on life, death, and rebirth. Vincent Van Gogh’s Romans Parisiens (Les Livres jaunes) is a painting of immense art historical significance since today, alongside his Sunflower compositions, the painting is regarded among the artist’s finest still lifes. Paul Gauguin’s La Maison de Pen du, gardeuse de vache marks a pivotal moment in his artistic evolution, just as his signature style was developing into one of the most recognisable in modern art.

Camille Pissarro’s Bords de l’Oise à Pontoise belongs to a period that is widely considered to be the most innovative in his career and within the wider Impressionist movement. Within the pastoral setting Pissarro depicts, the artist also notes signs of change, including the newly built railway bridge. The painting reveals Pissarro’s shift from his more structured landscapes towards more expressive brushstrokes and a more luminous palette. Edvard Munch’s Sankthansnatt Johannisnacht (Mittsommernacht) (St. John’s Night) (Midsummer Night’s Eve), coming from the collection one of the greatest collections and benefactors of the arts in America, Leonard Lauder, stands as among his most atmospheric and alluring landscapes.

Edvard Munch's composition Midsummer Night's Eve.

Rene Magritte’s Le Jockey perdu is a spectacular oil on canvas that ranks as the most refined and technically accomplished realisation of Magritte’s seminal horse-and-rider motif. None of the works to be exhibited have ever been shown in the Middle East before; three of the six have not been seen in public for more than half a century. Following the exhibition in Abu Dhabi, they will travel to London and Paris before returning to New York, where they will be offered in a hotly anticipated season of auctions during the week of November 17, marking the opening of Sotheby’s new headquarters in the historic Breuer Building on Madison Avenue.

Coinciding with the exhibition in Abu Dhabi, Sotheby’s Dubai gallery will also host, September 29 – October 3, a display of highlights from two forthcoming London sales: Modern and Contemporary Middle East (to be held on October 28) and Arts of the Islamic World and India (to be held on October 20). The exhibitions will feature works by leading artists such as Fahrelnissa Zeid and Inji Efflatoun, as well as unique artefacts such as an early 18th-century illuminated Qur’an and a rare 17th-century Ottoman hanging throne ornament.

Paul Gauguin’s artwork La Maison de Pen du, gardeuse de vache.

“As Sotheby’s extends its presence and activities in the Middle East,” said Charles F. Stewart, Sotheby’s CEO, “this exciting exhibition underscores our commitment to bringing masterpiece works of art to the region. We are deeply honoured to have been entrusted with these works and equally honoured to present them here in Abu Dhabi.” “In recent months,” said Katia Nounou Boueiz, Head, Sotheby’s UAE and Deputy Chairman, Middle East, “Sotheby’s has staged a number of remarkable events in Abu Dhabi; but this exhibition represents a true milestone – our first ever public exhibition of Fine Art in this emirate and the most extensive and valuable exhibition ever staged in the region by Sotheby’s.

“From Vincent van Gogh and Paul Gauguin, to Frida Kahlo, Edvard Munch and René Magritte, the exhibition brings together long-unseen masterworks by six of the most revered names in art history. We look forward to welcoming collectors, art enthusiasts and the wider public alike to the Bassam Freiha Art Foundation to experience these exceptional works, and to share in this historic moment for Sotheby’s in the region.” Sotheby’s is moving its New York headquarters to the iconic Breuer Building at 945 Madison Avenue. The auction house purchased the Brutalist landmark in 2023; the building was previously home to the Whitney Museum and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.