The collection includes “key” works by Pablo Picasso, Jasper Johns, Robert Rauschenberg and Roy Lichtenstein, and one painting by each artist will go on display at Christie’s in London from Feb. 6-12. Although the auctioneer did not give an estimate of the value of the collection to be sold, the four exhibited works alone are expected to fetch around 20 million pounds ($32 million).One of the highlights is “Flag” by Johns, dated 1960-66, which Christie’s described as a “painstakingly beautiful rendition of the American flag” which has never been on the public market. It added that flag paintings by Johns could be described as the first icons of pop art, ending the dominance of abstract expressionism practised by the likes of Jackson Pollock and Mark Rothko. Crichton acquired the work over 30 years ago directly from the artist’s collection and it was last seen in public 18 years ago as part of a major pop art survey organized originally by the Royal Academy of Arts in London.
The auctioneer will be hoping that the combination of a Johns work, the fact that his flag paintings so rarely come to market and the association with the author of “Jurassic Park” and creator of the “ER” television series will fuel the bidding at a time when auction records are tumbling again.
The auction record for a Johns is $17.4 million set in May 2007 for his 1959 work “Figure 4,” but another piece, “False Start,” changed hands for a reported $80 million in a private sale, making it the most expensive known painting by a living artist.
“He loved art and treasured his relationships with artists,” said a spokesperson for the Crichton family estate. “It is a very difficult decision to sell works that have had such a personal place in his world. We are confident that the auctions and exhibitions at Christie’s will commemorate Michael’s eye and deep passion for art.” Crichton died unexpectedly of cancer aged 66 in November 2008. He was a medical doctor turned novelist and filmmaker whose books sold more than 150 million copies worldwide.
