On View at U.K. Museums: Works from the collector who kissed $160 million profit good-bye
- September 15, 2009 12:03
Former London art dealer Anthony D’Offay sent shock waves through the art world first in 2002 when he closed his powerhouse gallery and then last year with he sold 725 postwar and contemporary works to the U.K. government at the price he paid for them. He spent 26.5 million pounds for art by Mapplethrope, Koons, and many others, and last year the collection was valued at 125 million pounds; d'Offay thereby gave up an estimated profit of some 100 million pounds ($165 million). His proviso: that they tour the country, giving under-18s easy access to recent art.