A slew of paintings that once belonged to Ted Turner will go on sale in January. The works, by Albert Bierstadt and Thomas Moran, are sweeping views of the American landscape by immigrants who came to love the natural land even as it was bloodily becoming a country.
To be held on January 20 at Christie’s in New York, the sale will benefit the Turner Foundation, which supports environmental stewardship. The sale’s total estimate is around $20 million.
“These paintings meant a great deal to our dad, not only because of their beauty, but because they reflected so much of what he loved about nature and the outdoors. While it’s difficult to part with pieces that were so dear to him, our family takes comfort in knowing they will be appreciated and cherished by others. We also see this sale as another opportunity to carry forward his lifelong commitment to giving back, with proceeds going directly to the Turner Foundation to further its leadership in conservation and environmental stewardship,” the Turner family said in a statement.