"Iconic Art Collector Pauline Karpidas's London Home Items Up for Auction: Marking a significant milestone, the collection of Surrealist art pieces from Pauline Karpidas's residence will be auctioned off"
Pauline Karpidas's extraordinary collection of Surrealist art and design, featuring works by René Magritte, Andy Warhol, Salvador Dalí, and many others, will be auctioned by Sotheby's in London on September 17-18, 2025. The collection, estimated to be worth around £60 million, is being hailed as "the greatest collection of Surrealism to emerge in recent history."
The collection's roots trace back to Karpidas's encounter with pioneering gallerist Alexander Iolas, who sparked her lifelong passion for Surrealism. Over the years, she acquired key works from major Surrealist figures and notable collections, including those of Edward James, William N. Copley, and the estates of Man Ray, René Magritte, and André Breton.
The collection encompasses not only paintings by iconic Surrealist and modern artists like Picasso, Warhol, Magritte, and Dalí but also unique furniture and sculptural pieces by artists and designers such as Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne and Mattia Bonetti. These pieces were carefully curated for Karpidas's London home, designed in collaboration with interior designer Jacques Grange and gallerist David Gill, resulting in a distinctive environment that seamlessly merges art, design, and Surrealist aesthetics.
Highlights of the collection include Andy Warhol's pop-art reimagining of 'The Scream (After Munch)', estimated to sell for between £2 million and £3 million, and René Magritte's 'La Statue volante', which is expected to be the bestseller of the collection with a selling price between £9 million and £12 million.
The auction offers a unique opportunity to access a comprehensive private collection that embodies a broad and influential spectrum of Surrealism and modern art, as well as bespoke design objects uniquely commissioned and collected by Karpidas. Its sale marks the disassembly of a collection that has been passionately curated and nurtured for over 50 years by Karpidas, a patron of artists such as Damien Hirst, Sarah Lucas, and Tracey Emin.
Lotte Brundle, our platform's Digital Writer, joined the company in 2025 after working as a sub-editor for The Times and The Sunday Times. She will be covering the Sotheby's auction, providing in-depth insights into this significant event in the art world.
[1] The Art Newspaper [2] The Guardian [3] The Telegraph [4] BBC News [5] Artnet News
- The distinguished lifestyle and living space of Pauline Karpidas, showcasing an unparalleled collection of Surrealist art and design, will undoubtedly be a top entertainment feature for The Art Newspaper's coverage of the Sotheby's auction.
- As this extraordinary collection, composed of art, design, and Surrealist allure, goes under the hammer at Sotheby's, entertainment enthusiasts may find captivating stories about Karpidas's acquisitions from notable figures like René Magritte, Andy Warhol, and Edward James, along with a peek into her unique entertainment facility, in publications such as The Guardian, The Telegraph, BBC News, Artnet News, or even The Times.
