A stunning collection of Old Master paintings, amassed over decades by the late Thomas Saunders and his wife Jordan, is set to make history at Sotheby’s New York this May, per artnet.com. With an estimated value of $80 million to $120 million, the 60-piece trove could shatter auction records for Old Masters collections.
The Saunders collection boasts works by renowned artists such as Rubens, Frans Hals, and Francesco Guardi, many of which have been exhibited at prestigious institutions like the National Gallery of Art and the Rijksmuseum. The couple’s passion for art was fuelled by their collaboration with George Wachter, Sotheby’s chairman and co-worldwide head of Old Master Paintings, who guided them in acquiring some of the finest pieces in the art world.
Jordan Saunders’ journey into collecting began in 1998 when she fell in love with a Guardi painting at Sotheby’s. “I heard that little picture speak to me, ‘please buy me, buy me,’” she recalled. That purchase marked the start of a decades-long partnership with Wachter, who helped the couple build a collection spanning the 16th to 19th centuries.
Among the highlights is a Frans Post masterpiece, discovered in a Connecticut barn attic, covered in soot. After a meticulous restoration, the painting revealed a vibrant Brazilian landscape and is now estimated to fetch $6 million to $8 million, potentially breaking Post’s previous auction record.
Another standout is Luis Meléndez’s still life featuring a cauliflower, a rare subject in his work, with an estimate of $5 million to $8 million—the highest ever for the artist. The collection also includes a Frans Hals double portrait ($6 million to $8 million) and a pair of Guardi Venetian landscapes ($10 million to $15 million).
For Wachter, the auction represents a “full circle” moment. “They’re all highlights,” he said of the collection. “You pick the de Heem or the Guardi, the Gerrit Dou or the Frans Hals. It’s just full of beautiful pictures.”
- Featured image credit: Jan Davidsz. De Heem, Still Life of Roses, Tulips, a Sunflower, Lilies, an Iris, Poppies, Honeysuckle and Other Flowers in a Glass Vase with Two Birds, a Grasshopper and a Snail (c. 1674). Photo courtesy of Sotheby’s
