Masterpieces by Van Gogh and Cézanne to be auctioned at Sotheby’s

By the Editorial Team · Sunday, October 4, 2026

Sotheby’s will auction 12 Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces, including van Gogh’s “Chestnut Trees in Flower” and Cézanne’s “Arlequin,” from the private collection of late Argentine collectors on November 18 in New York. This sale offers a rare chance to acquire high-value works unseen by the public for decades, attracting global buyers amid economic uncertainty seeking stable investments.

A collection of 12 Impressionist and post-Impressionist masterpieces valued at nearly $500 million will be auctioned by Sotheby’s in New York on November 18, bringing works unseen by the public for decades to the market. The paintings originate from the private collection of the late Argentine collector Nelly Arrieta de Blaquier and her husband, sugar magnate Carlos Pedro Blaquier, and are being sold by their heirs.

Among the highlights is Vincent van Gogh’s “Châtaigniers en fleurs” (Chestnut Trees in Flower), estimated at $180 million. This landscape painting, created shortly after the artist’s release from a psychiatric hospital in 1890, exemplifies van Gogh’s intense energy during that period. Another marquee piece is Paul Cézanne’s portrait of his son, titled “Arlequin,” with an estimate of $120 million. This work is one of four depicting Cézanne's son dressed as the Harlequin character; the others are held in major museum collections.

Sotheby’s head of Impressionist and modern art Helena Newman described the collection as resembling a “mini-Musée d’Orsay” due to its exceptional quality and comprehensive representation of key figures from the era. She noted that in her over 30 years at Sotheby’s, she had never encountered a private collection of such caliber and significance. The collection also includes prominent works by Claude Monet, Camille Pissarro, Edgar Degas, and Pierre-Auguste Renoir, each carrying multi-million dollar valuations.

Art expert Philip Hook, a former Sotheby’s auctioneer, emphasized the rarity of the collection, highlighting that the pieces had largely remained out of public view and had not been loaned for exhibitions. He praised the collectors for assembling an impressive group that includes singular representative works by major Impressionist and post-Impressionist artists, a feat he described as highly challenging.

The upcoming auction is expected to attract widespread interest from a global pool of buyers, including American technology billionaires, wealthy patrons from the Middle East, and affluent collectors across North America, Europe, and Asia. Newman pointed to the current geopolitical and economic uncertainties as a factor driving affluent buyers toward established masterpieces viewed as a stable investment.

The Sotheby’s sale represents a rare opportunity to acquire works that have remained hidden for nearly 50 years, shedding new light on a collection that Philip Hook described as “the stuff of legend” in the art world.

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