sotheby's unwraps rare look inside christo and jeanne-claude's NY studio ahead of auction from their personal collections

the world is invited to step into the private sphere of famed artistic couple christo and jeanne-claude with an auction of work from their personal collection held by sotheby’s this month. across two sales — live in paris on february 17, with a concurrent online sale — sotheby’s releases a captivating collection of nearly 400 lots from the late artists’ long-time new york studio and home, showcasing a range of their artistic inspirations and friendships. the collection also includes several works by the artists themselves that span their multi-decade practice, including many of their most monumental outdoor projects, such as the pont neuf wrapped in paris, and the package and store front series from the 1960s.

christo and jeanne-claude at 48 howard street, new york
image by wolfgang volz © the estate of christo v. javacheff

‘earlier this year, we lost one of the giants of contemporary art, whose massive influence could hardly be replaced,’ simon shaw, vice chairman, global fine arts at sotheby’s said. ‘together with his partner jeanne-claude, christo changed the visual language of art in a way that no other artist has done before, transforming the public’s perspective and expectations of what art can be and how it can be experienced. throughout 2021 and the various celebrations set to take place across paris and the world, christo and jeanne-claude’s magical vision will culminate in the wrapping the arc de triomphe, fittingly bringing their story full circle in their beloved paris. sotheby’s auction of their personal collection will provide a unique glimpse of their personal and professional world, and we are honoured to pay tribute to this internationally renowned duo, who hold a fundamental place in the history of contemporary art.’

inside christo & jeane-claude’s studio | image by andré grossman © the estate of christo v. javacheff

the collection of works comprising ‘unwrapped, the hidden world of christo and jeanne-claude‘ will be sold across two sales — a live sale taking place in paris on february 17, 2021, with a concurrent online sale.

the sotheby’s sale offers a glimpse of the constellation of artistic friendships that surrounded christo and jeanne-claude over the years, and sheds light their artistic connections, which have until now remained private. the collection reveals the artists who were in christo’s circle — among them andy warhol (represented by a portrait of jackie painted in 1964), and the artists he admired, such as gerrit rietveld (the hoge armchair), joan mirò (with his personnage sculpture from 1968), and andré cadere (exemplified by one of his round bars of wood from 1975).

inside christo & jeane-claude’s studio | image by andré grossman © the estate of christo v. javacheff

other works are a testament to the friendships that the duo forged with their peers. these include lucio fontana, one of the couple’s closest friends and among the first admirers of christo’s work. christo and fontana first met in 1963 at the opening of his exhibition at guido le noci’s galleria apollinaire in milan. the sale offers fontana’s concetto spaziale, attesa from the same year, which is dedicated to jeanne-claude. they were also close friends with claes oldenburg, who resided in the chelsea hotel — the center of the new york art scene in the 1960s — as christo and jeanne-claude when they arrived in new york in 1964, before moving to 48 howard street in soho. the sale includes bacon and egg, ice cream and beef steak from the early 1960s, which claes oldenburg dedicated to christo. yves klein and christo also had many exchanges between 1960 and 1970, and their friendship is illustrated by blue monochrome (IKB 19) from 1958.

finally, the monumental sale includes a selection of work by christo and jeanne-claude themselves that showcases the evolution of their artistic vision across decades, while also highlighting their playful preoccupation with concealment as a major theme throughout their body of work. see images from inside christo & jeane-claude’s home and studio at 48 howard street, and a selection of works from the sale below.