CHICAGO, IL.- In honor of the 40th anniversary in Chicago, Christie's announces a series of events, educational programming and exhibitions at its Chicago gallery October 16-19, 2019. A public exhibition of top upcoming auction highlights will be on display to the public and free of charge. The exhibition will feature works from Impressionist and Modern Art, Post-War and Contemporary Art, as well as 20th Century Design. Additionally, a superb highlight from the fall sales, a ‘Moon and Stars’ trumpet designed and played by Miles Davis, will be unveiled to the public for the first time and exhibited in the lobby of the John Hancock building, where Christie’s office is located on the 38th floor.

Marc Porter, Christie’s Chairman Americas, comments: “We are proud to mark Christie’s 40th anniversary in Chicago with an impressive exhibition of auction highlights, as well as educational programming, and events. Chicago’s historic importance as a cultural destination between the East and West coasts — encouraging exchange and innovation — underlies the city’s rich collecting tradition and dynamic art community. Personally, I have been deeply enriched by working with the great museums and educational organizations in the city.”

Cathy Busch, Managing Director, Head of Chicago, Christie’s, remarks: “What a privilege it is to work with so many passionate collectors whose knowledge, generosity and commitment are inspiring. Chicago has been fortunate to have had collecting pioneers who paved the way. Marilynn and Jim Alsdorf are among the great visionaries - generous patrons and connoisseurs whose transformational gifts changed Chicago's cultural landscape and we are honored to have been entrusted with their collection beginning this fall.”

Select highlights
Christie’s presents highlights from the Collection of James and Marilynn Alsdorf in Chicago, during an international tour; the couple were preeminent Chicago collectors who were generous philanthropists and patrons of the arts. Works from their vast collection, which is expected to exceed $50 million in total, will be sold across various sales in 2019-2020, spanning antiquities, works on paper, European and Latin American Art, and Indian and Southeast Asian Art. Christie’s presents works from the Alsdorf Collection in Chicago, during an international tour of highlights. The Chicago exhibition will feature Jean Dubuffet’s Palinodie, painted in 1961, which harkens back to Dubuffet's close relationship with members of the Parisian intelligentsia and marks a turning point in his artistic practice (estimate: $3,000,000-5,000,000). The work had pride of place in the couple’s living room and it will be auctioned in the November 14 Post-War and Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York.

Charles White’s Banner for Willie J. is a powerful and poignant portrait of the artist’s cousin, who — as an innocent bystander — was killed during an armed robbery at a bar (estimate: $1,000,000– 1,500,000). Painted in 1976, the work portrays the contemporary African American experience through the lens of art history, and is an outstanding example demonstrating White’s reputation as one of the most accomplished draughtsman and painters of his generation. The work was recently featured prominently in the artist’s retrospective at the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and it will be offered in November’s Post-War and Contemporary Evening Sale in New York.

Pablo Picasso’s vibrant Buste d’homme from 1968, from the Collection of Terry Allen Kramer, the renowned Broadway producer, will be offered in the Impressionist and Modern Art Evening sale on November 11 (estimate: $9,000,000-12,000,000). A bold work from his mousquetaires series, these figures were conceived as proxies through which he could explore the glories of 17th century Baroque painting and the age of Velázquez and Rembrandt. The brash qualities, ironic foibles and fabled exploits of these characters were also employed to give voice to Picasso’s own rich inner life, and to offer commentary on events of the day.

A ‘Moon and Stars’ trumpet designed and played by Miles Davis, one of the most significant jazz musicians of all time, will be offered in The Exceptional Sale on October 29 in New York. The ‘Martin Committee’ Trumpet in B Flat, model T3460, by the Martin Co., was commissioned circa 1980 and features a deep blue lacquer and gilt crescent moon and stars, designed according to Davis’s specifications (estimate: $70,000-100,000). The ‘Moon and Stars’ trumpet is both a fine piece of craftsmanship and marks a crucial moment in Davis’s career, as he made his long-awaited return to music.