12 paintings from the world-famous Asbjorn Lunde foundation will go under the hammer at the Fine Sale on 23rd March.
The Asbjorn Lunde Foundation was set up in 2013, to support the work of lawyer and art collector, Asbjorn Lunde (1927 – 2017), and his major contributions to not-for-profit organisations based in the arts and music sectors throughout the United States. During his lifetime, Mr Lunde supported more than forty museums in his native New York, across the United States and in Europe, with loans, gifts and funding and was known as one of the city’s most prominent art collectors, owning several hundred paintings, sculptures and prints. Mr Lunde was also a Fellow and Benefactor of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and a member of the visiting committee in the department of European paintings, a trustee of the Olana Partnership and a member of the board of directors of the Sara Roby Foundation.
Mr Absjorn Lunde
A number of the paintings on offer are of museum quality, with a focus on 18th century British landscapes and traditional pastoral scenes. One of the highlights is a picture titled, Amelia Struck by Lightning, dated 1763, by William Williams of Norwich (British, 1727 – 1797). The subject is inspired by a passage from Summer in James Thomson’s cycle of poems, The Seasons, which was hugely popular throughout the 18th century. The same subject, but of different composition, dated 1784, is at the Tate Britain. Also within the collection are a number of traditional, 18th century British landscapes, by the likes of George Morland. There is also a painting titled Adelaide and Fonrose by Francis Wheatley (British, 1747 – 1801), which is set to sell for between £2,000 and £3,000 and is thought to illustrate a scene of Jean-François Marmontel’s romantic play The Shepherdess of the Alps which was one of the most popular throughout late 18th century England and France.
William Williams 'Amelia Struck by Lightening' - estimate £3,000 - £5,000
All the proceeds from the sale of these pictures will go to support the important work carried out by the Foundation throughout the arts sector.
To view the collection in the catalogue, click here