The Art of the Steal Page #3

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because there-- there is this

truly phenomenal collection

that the museum world

can't get their hands on.

(car horns honking)

- We're at Sotheby's

at a preview

for their big lmpressionist

and Modern sale.

(background conversation)

I mean,

there's a Van Gogh there

which is a nice picture

by a great artist.

This is not a great Van Gogh.

They're estimating $35 million.

I suspect in this market,

with this liquidity,

that-- that-- that-- it will go

much higher than that.

It's not Barnes-worthy.

He would have not bought

that Van Gogh,

but it is a Van Gogh.

Barnes wouldn't even look

at that painting.

Some pictures are unattractive

and significant.

Some paintings are attractive

and insignificant.

This is both unattractive

and insignificant.

I mean, the one last night

at $35 million

was a much better painting.

That was a good Matisse.

I don't think it was good enough

for Barnes to buy.

And the Cezanne here is...

not even a shadow

of a Barnes Cezannes.

This is estimated

at $7 million to $9 million.

I couldn't even hang it

in the same room

as The Card PIayers.

But The Card PIayers

would be probably beyond

certainly any

individual's capacity.

I mean, how much money

is in any one place?

The Getty couldn't afford it.

You'd need some sort

of a nation to buy it.

- Now 0011.

- You're gonna see prices

in the contemporary sales

that will make your head spin.

- Let's start the bidding

at $20 million,

at $20 million here,

$20 million.

- For things

that are not even scarce,

Iet alone important.

- $35 million and fair warning.

Last chance.

Selling then for $35 million.

(gavel clacks)

- There certainly aren't

any collections

Iike the Barnes anywhere anymore

in private hands.

(soft piano music)

- What is a collection

Iike this worth?

- Oh.

(sighs)

Look, there's some things

in the collection that...

one can't even begin

to calculate.

I-- I-- I could go through

the inventory,

painting by painting,

and a lot of them

I could come up with

some kind of a number.

But some things in there,

I just--

nobody could figure out.

The Matisse La Danse,

nobody could figure out

what that's worth.

We don't know.

There's been nothing like it.

There never will be.

(sighs)

It's worth billions.

I have no idea what it's worth.

The Cezanne Card PIayers,

I mean, what is it worth?

$500 million,

or the other one $500 million?

I mean, we're talking

about billions and billions.

(Music continues)

- The initial exhibition

of the Barnes art

took place in 1923

in Philadelphia when Barnes

exhibited the collection

at the Academy of Fine Arts.

Barnes had great faith

in his native abilities

and his eye.

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