Sotheby's has announced the headline lots for the upcoming sale of British socialite and arts patron Pauline Karpidas's collection, set to take place September 17–19 in London. The 250-item auction, described as the 'greatest collection of Surrealism to emerge in recent history,' is led by René Magritte's oil painting *La Statue volante* (1940-41), estimated at £9–12 million ($12–16 million). Other highlights include ten more Magritte works, four Andy Warhol pieces from his 'Art from Art' series, and works by Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dalí, and Leonora Carrington, along with furniture and design objects.
The sale carries an estimated total of £60 million ($81 million), the highest estimate ever placed on a single collection at Sotheby's in Europe, underscoring the enduring strength of the Surrealist market and the premium placed on collections with distinguished provenance. Karpidas's collection, built over 50 years after a chance encounter with gallerist Alexander Iolas, reflects a personal vision that blended high Surrealism with contemporary friendships, notably with Warhol. The auction also highlights the growing trend of single-owner sales as major market events, with Sotheby's betting heavily on the appeal of both the art and the collector's story.