Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s Personal Art Collection Is Heading to Auction

The February sale with Sotheby’s will include pieces by Andy Warhol, Claes Oldenburg, and Yves Klein

Two people smiling together under bright orange fabric structures in an outdoor setting with trees in the background.
Jeanne-Claude and Christo with their 2005 installation The Gates in New York’s Central Park. Photo: Wolfgang Volz © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

Throughout their decades-long careers, art-world power couple Christo and Jeanne-Claude collaborated on massive installations that temporarily transformed iconic landmarks like New York’s Central Park, the Reichstag building in Berlin, or the Pont Neuf in Paris into interactive works of dynamic art.

“Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s artwork brought people together in shared experiences across the globe, and their work lives on in our hearts and memories,” read a statement from the artists’ official Facebook page following Christo’s May 31 death. “He lived his life to the fullest, not only dreaming up what seemed impossible but realizing it.”

Modern geometric wooden chair with angular design and dark stain on a white background.
The Hoge armchair by Gerrit Rietveld. Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby’s
Two people in an art studio working on a project surrounded by paintings and art supplies.
Christo and Jeanne-Claude in their studio at 48 Howard Street in New York. Photo: Wolfgang Volz © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

Christo and Jeanne-Claude, the latter of whom passed away in November 2009, left a resounding legacy of transcendental works that utilized millions of square feet of fabrics to reimagine buildings, islands, and landscapes. Often years in the making, these self-funded installations were experienced by large crowds, immortalized in photos and film, and then removed. “Our projects are sometimes discussed by hundreds and thousands of people before they exist,” he told the Tate in 2012.

While the pair’s artwork was exceedingly public, their personal life was not. A February sale, appropriately titled “Unwrapped: The Hidden World of Christo and Jeanne-Claude,” at Sotheby’s Paris location will shed light on their personal friendships. More than 400 pieces from the couple’s New York studio will hit the block, including works by artists in their inner circle, like Claes Oldenburg, Andy Warhol, Lucio Fontana, and Yves Klein. Also available are items by artists that Christo admired, such as Joan Miró, Gerrit Rietveld, and André Cadere, as well as artworks by Christo and Jeanne-Claude themselves.

Black and white artwork depicting a woman and a man in a military uniform, with a vintage, textured appearance.
Andy Warhol’s Jackie (1964) from the collection of Christo and Jeanne-Claude. Photo: Courtesy of Sotheby’s

“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,” Simon Shaw, Sotheby’s vice chairman, global fine arts, said in a statement. “Sotheby’s auction of their personal collection will provide a unique glimpse of their personal and professional world, and we are honored to pay tribute to this internationally renowned duo, who hold a fundamental place in the history of contemporary art.”

Below, take a look inside Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s New York studio at 48 Howard Street.

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Tour Christo and Jeanne-Claude’s New York Studio

Christo and Jeanne-Claude in their studio at 48 Howard Street in Manhattan.

Photograph by Wolfgang Volz © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

Claes Oldenburgu2019s Bacon and Egg and Ice Cream and Beef Steak in Christo and Jeanne-Claudeu2019s studio.

Photograph by André Grossman © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

Claes Oldenburgu2019s circa-1960s Bacon and Egg and Ice Cream and Beef Steak that are inscribed to Christo from Claes is estimated to bring u20ac40,000-60,000 in the February sale at Sotheby’s.

Photograph by Courtesy of Sotheby’s

Gerrit Rietveldu2019s Hoge armchair in Christo and Jeanne-Claudeu2019s studio at 48 Howard Street in New York.

Photograph by André Grossman © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

The Hoge armchair by Gerrit Rietveld.

Photograph by Courtesy of Sotheby’s

Cookie jars previously owned by Andy Warhol inside Christo and Jeanne-Claudeu2019s studio at 48 Howard Street in New York.

Photograph by André Grossman © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

The walls inside Christo and Jeanne-Claudeu2019s studio at 48 Howard Street in New York were filled with works by their close circle of artist friends as well as sketches an other memorabilia related to their massive installations.

Photograph by André Grossman © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

Objets and photographs displayed inside Christo and Jeanne-Claudeu2019s studio at 48 Howard Street in New York.

Photograph by André Grossman © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

Objets and photographs displayed inside Christo and Jeanne-Claudeu2019s studio at 48 Howard Street in New York.

Photograph by André Grossman © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

The walls inside Christo and Jeanne-Claudeu2019s studio at 48 Howard Street in New York were filled with works by their close circle of artist friends as well as sketches an other memorabilia related to their massive installations.

Photograph by André Grossman © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

The walls inside Christo and Jeanne-Claudeu2019s studio at 48 Howard Street in New York were filled with sketches an other memorabilia related to their massive installations.

Photograph by André Grossman © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

Objets and photographs, including one of Jeanne-Claude at the coupleu2019s installation The Gates in New York, displayed inside their studio at 48 Howard Street.

Photograph by André Grossman © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

Andy Warholu2019s Jackie is displayed alongside Concetto Spaziale, Attesa by Lucio Fontana inside Christo and Jeanne-Claudeu2019s studio at 48 Howard Street in New York.

Photograph by André Grossman © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

Andy Warholu2019s Jackie (1964) from the collection of Christo and Jeanne-Claude is estimated to bring u20ac800,000-1,200,000 at auction.

Photograph by Courtesy of Sotheby’s

A piece by Keith Haring hangs alongside works by Andy Warhol and Lucio Fontana and photos on a gallery wall inside Christo and Jeanne-Claudeu2019s New York studio.

Photograph by André Grossman © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff

Lucio Fontanau2019s Concetto Spaziale, Attesa (1963).

Photograph by Courtesy of Sotheby’s

A work table inside Christo and Jeanne-Claudeu2019s studio at 48 Howard Street in New York.

Photograph by André Grossman © The Estate of Christo V. Javacheff
Two people in an art studio working on a project surrounded by paintings and art supplies.
Art exhibit with mixed media display featuring various small objects and a framed collection of diverse materials on a shelf
Two white plates with clay food sculptures, including brown and red shapes resembling meat, on a plain backdrop.
Minimalist living room with white sofas, books, and sculptures, featuring a modern chair and a table with various items.
Modern geometric wooden chair with angular design and dark stain on a white background.
Decorative mannequin head and cookie jars on a kitchen counter with plates and a silver tin in the background.
Gallery wall in a cozy room with various artworks, photos, and books, creating an eclectic and creative atmosphere.
A collection of vintage trinkets, framed photo, and decorative objects on a white table in a cozy room setting.
Various art supplies and colorful blocks displayed in a transparent case on a white shelf.
Art gallery wall displaying various framed art pieces and photographs arranged vertically and horizontally in a brightly lit room.
Vintage photographs and engineering diagrams displayed on a wall with wire springs on a shelf in a museum exhibit.
Museum display with old desk, various photos, a rose in a vase, and a transparent case filled with assorted items on a white shelf.
Wall with various framed artworks and photographs, featuring abstract, portrait, and mixed media pieces in different styles.
Black and white artwork depicting a woman and a man in a military uniform, with a vintage, textured appearance.
A gallery wall featuring various framed art pieces, including abstract designs and photographs.
Abstract artwork featuring a single diagonal slash on a textured beige canvas, creating a striking visual effect.
Artist's studio workspace with various art supplies, sketches, and materials scattered on a cluttered desk.
Two people in an art studio working on a project surrounded by paintings and art supplies.
Art exhibit with mixed media display featuring various small objects and a framed collection of diverse materials on a shelf
Two white plates with clay food sculptures, including brown and red shapes resembling meat, on a plain backdrop.
Minimalist living room with white sofas, books, and sculptures, featuring a modern chair and a table with various items.
Modern geometric wooden chair with angular design and dark stain on a white background.
Decorative mannequin head and cookie jars on a kitchen counter with plates and a silver tin in the background.
Gallery wall in a cozy room with various artworks, photos, and books, creating an eclectic and creative atmosphere.
A collection of vintage trinkets, framed photo, and decorative objects on a white table in a cozy room setting.
Various art supplies and colorful blocks displayed in a transparent case on a white shelf.
Art gallery wall displaying various framed art pieces and photographs arranged vertically and horizontally in a brightly lit room.
Vintage photographs and engineering diagrams displayed on a wall with wire springs on a shelf in a museum exhibit.
Museum display with old desk, various photos, a rose in a vase, and a transparent case filled with assorted items on a white shelf.
Wall with various framed artworks and photographs, featuring abstract, portrait, and mixed media pieces in different styles.
Black and white artwork depicting a woman and a man in a military uniform, with a vintage, textured appearance.
A gallery wall featuring various framed art pieces, including abstract designs and photographs.
Abstract artwork featuring a single diagonal slash on a textured beige canvas, creating a striking visual effect.
Artist's studio workspace with various art supplies, sketches, and materials scattered on a cluttered desk.