Christie's Presents The Collection Of Vivian Fusillo
Joie de Vivre: Works from the Collection of Vivian Fusillo | JOAN MITCHELL (1925-1992) Peinture II, oil on canvas, 39⅛ x 39½ in. (99.3 x 100.3 cm.) Painted in 1964. Estimate: $2,500,000-3,500,000
NEW YORK – Christie's is honored to present The Collection of Vivian Fusillo, a remarkable group of works that reflect a life steeped in creativity, individuality, and an enduring passion for the arts. Highlights from the collection will be offered in Post-War to Present taking place on 30 September in New York, and in the Modern British Art Evening Sale on 22 October in London.
Born in Bogue, Kansas, Vivian Fusillo expressed her creativity from a young age—singing, playing accordion, and starring in college theatre productions as the first student in Marymount College's drama program. Her background in performance and fashion shaped her distinctive personal style, once writing, “I cannot control how I am perceived; I can only control how I am presented.” A spirited traveler with a magnetic presence, she caught the eye of Richard Avedon, who photographed her, and Elizabeth Taylor, who gave her a necklace she treasured.
Leading the collection in New York is Joan Mitchell's Peinture II, a dynamic and emotionally charged masterpiece from 1964, estimated at $2.5–3.5 million.
Vivian Fusillo's grandson, Bailey Bestul remarks, “We're beyond thrilled to share Vivian's remarkable collection of art, which has hung on the walls of her home for the past five decades. The pieces are a testament both to Vivian's careful curatorial eye and lifelong passion for the arts, which she shared with the thousands of students she taught and directed as a Professor of Theatre at Winona State University. Art was an immense source of joy for Vivian - one of the most joyful people we've ever met - and it is our hope that these works ignite in viewers the same joie de vivre that they inspired in her.”
Kathryn Marber, Head of Sale for Post-War to Present, Christie's, says, “We are honored to present Joan Mitchell's Peinture II as the cornerstone of the season. Among her storied Black Paintings, the work teems with intense vitality and harmonious and rhythmic color, representing the collector's sophisticated eye and her insatiable curiosity for the creative world around her.”
Alongside the Mitchell, excellent examples from the postwar era, including an early 1961 Larry Rivers painting and an exquisite Jean Dubuffet drawing from his beloved Paris Circus series, will bolster the offering in September. The sale of the collection will conclude in October when the stunning, unique carving by Barbara Hepworth, Figure (Chûn), is offered as a highlight of the Modern British Evening Sale in London with an estimate of £500,000–800,000, alongside a group of further British pictures in the Modern British Art Day Sale.
The Collection of Vivian Fusillo offers a rare and intimate glimpse into the life of a woman whose creativity, style, and character left a lasting impression on all who knew her. These sales represent a unique opportunity to engage with works that speak not only to the post-war and modern British canon, but also to the powerful personal story behind their stewardship.
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