A remarkable collection of nine abstract masterpieces from the storied Bass House, assembled by Sid and Anne Bass, will hit Christie’s rostrum as part of their highly anticipated 20th evening sale, featuring a $35 million Rothko.
A $35 million Rothko leads a remarkable collection of nine abstract masterpieces from the storied Bass House, assembled by Sid and Anne Bass, which will hit Christie’s rostrum as part of their highly anticipated 20th evening sale.
The Bass House, designed by Paul Rudolph in the early 1970s, was a total work of art conceived as a dialogue between architecture and artworks. The couple spent an entire year drafting a letter to commission Rudolph, who accepted on the condition that the home must be conceived as a total work of art. Notably, the Basses were both only 28 at the time.
‘The Architectural Symphony’ was a total work of art conceived as a dialogue between architecture and artworks.
Rudolph delivered a Brutalist symphony of floating planes, minimal colors, and clean volumes—a structure designed as much for living as for seeing. The masterful orchestration of light and space played a key role in the architectural structure’s design, maintaining an organic and open relationship with its surroundings.
Highlights from the Collection
Among the highlights of the Bass House collection that Christie’s will offer in the evening sale are:
-
Two monumental canvases once hanging in the living room: ‘Gamma Upsilon’ by Morris Louis (estimate: $2-3 million) and ‘Firuzabad III’ by Frank Stella ($1- 2 million).
-
A nearly eight-by-fifteen-foot ‘Blue Black Red’ by Elsworth Kelly (estimate: $4-6 million), dominating the playing room.
-
‘Danseuse’ by Gino Severini (est. $1.5–2.5 million), which sat by Anne’s desk in a tribute to her lifelong devotion to ballet.
-
Two pristine Agnes Martins: ‘Untitled #11’ ($3.5–5.5 million) and ‘Untitled #2’ ($1.5–2.5 million), flanking a grand piano.
A Legacy of Taste and Philanthropy
The sale follows Anne’s death in April 2020. She divorced Sid Bass in 1988, securing what was then Texas’s largest divorce settlement—reportedly over $200 million. Though she stepped back from the society circuit in the 2000s, she remained a force in cultural philanthropy, serving on various boards and donating exclusive pieces to institutions like the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Other Notable Works
Christie’s will also be auctioning other headline lots, including:
-
‘Peupliers au bord de l’Epte, crépuscule’ by Monet, boasting exceptional provenance.
-
‘Revelación (El relojero)’ by Remedios Varo, a rare 1955 canvas.
-
‘Big Electric Chair (orange)’ by Andy Warhol, offered from the Matthys-Colle Collection.
