The Collection of Sidney Rothberg Continues to Captivate Bidders Globally
Alasdair Nichol, EVP and Deputy Chairman auctioneers What Do You See? The Collection of Sidney Rothberg Part IV in Philadelphia on June 25th
The art legacy of Sidney Rothberg continues to inspire collectors and connoisseurs around the world as PART III and Part IV of the expansive Collection of Sidney Rothberg exceeded expectation, doubling the pre-sale estimate and achieving a remarkable $1,163,136 (including buyer’s premium). During the latest two-day auction held on June 24 and 25 in Philadelphia at Freeman's | Hindman and online, the sales attracted strong global interest with participants from 21 countries across five continents, capturing an impressive 90% sell-through rate. Notably, 15% of the buyers were first-time bidders. This outstanding result builds on last year’s multi-million-dollar successes, which saw the rediscovery of major Impressionist, Modern, and Contemporary gems. Since these 600 works were unveiled beginning in February of 2024, the Collection of Sidney Rothberg has brought close to $7M in sales.
A view of the recent five-room Rothberg exhibition at Freeman’s | Hindman Philadelphia at 2400 Market Street
PARTS III and IV: INTRIGUING YET MORE AFFORDABLE OFFERINGS
Creatively arranged to showcase the dynamic interplay between the 240 different artists on offer, the 371-lot event was spread across two days and spanned centuries, genres, continents, media, and price points in order to reflect Rothberg’s wide-ranging taste and intellectual curiosity. Works on paper, oils and bronzes by blue-chip artists such as Auguste Rodin, René Magritte, Jean Cocteau, Arthur B. Carles, Jane Piper, and Jean Hugo were prominently featured, and thoughtfully promoted for the occasion, in the US as well as in Europe. “We are thrilled with the results,” said Head of Sale Raphaël Chatroux. “This installment revealed a more playful, accessible dimension of Rothberg’s collecting philosophy. It was perfectly suited for both seasoned and emerging collectors whether looking to expand one’s horizon and be more adventurous, or to begin one’s own journey into the art world.”
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT:
Édouard Vuillard, L'Arbre, circa 1908-1910 | Lot 87 | Sold for $35,200
John Kane, Portrait of Bishop Boyle | Lot 126 | Sold for $35,200
Top honors were shared by two standout works, each realizing $35,200. The first, L’Arbre by Édouard Vuillard, is a nearly 50-inch-tall panel from a decorative series created circa 1910, capturing a lush Parisian landscape with expressive brushwork. Equally commanding was Portrait of Bishop Boyle by John Kane, a testament to the rising recognition of this self-taught American artist of Irish-Scottish heritage.
Robert Mapplethorpe, Patti Smith and Robert Mapplethorpe from ‘Tantric Garden' (Unrealized Animation), circa 1969 | Lot 276 | Sold for $28,800
Robert Mapplethorpe’s Tantric Garden, featuring the artist and Patti Smith sold online for $28,800, following steady competition from five phone bidders and multiple online bidders across platforms.
Additional highlights included:
• Lot 9 | Honoré Daumier’s Le Buveur Chantant – Sold for $32,000
• Lot 15 | Pierre-Auguste Renoir’s red chalk study Après le Bain – Sold for $17,920
• Lot 188 | Ludwig Blum’s Copper Smelter, Timna – Sold for $15,360
• Lot 243 | Carl Holty’s dynamic abstract canvas (Untitled) – Sold for $15,360
(Holty was represented by four works across the sale)
“What Do You See?” — The Inquisitive Vision Behind the Collection
Sidney Rothberg was more than a collector: he was a lifelong student of art and a passionate advocate for its power to inspire inquiry and conversation. A self-made man from a modest Philadelphia background and a devoted single father, Rothberg first encountered art during his WWII service in France. That formative experience sparked a passion he pursued through academic study at the Wharton School and later at the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France.
Sidney Rothberg as a young G.I.
Rothberg became a fixture at the Barnes Foundation, where he studied and later lectured under the mentorship of Violette de Mazia. He was known to challenge those around him with a deceptively simple but profound question: “What do you see?” - a prompt that encapsulated his belief in the power of personal interpretation and discovery. “Having so many buyers connect online to bid so energetically and effectively tells us that my father’s collection and his lifelong passion for art have once again sparked people globally. This makes me incredibly happy. Much of the works on offer hadn’t been seen publicly in 20 to 60 years, so having buyers from 5 continents is simply extraordinary. I am deeply proud of my father’s remarkable eye and his on-going legacy in the art world. I am thrilled to be able to offer more works to curious collectors in the future,” shared Saranne Rothberg, daughter of Sidney Rothberg and co-curator of the Collection.
To learn more about Sidney Rothberg’s connection to the Barnes Foundation, please watch this video.
More about The Collection of Sidney Rothberg can be viewed here.
To keep up with the next stages of the Rothberg Collection, please contact Specialist Raphaël Chatroux, [email protected], 267.414.1253 .