Works by van Gogh and Cézanne up for sale in Sotheby’s $450 million auction

A collection of nearly half a billion dollars worth of Impressionist and post-Impressionist artworks, unseen for decades in a private South American collection, is set to be auctioned by Sotheby's on November 18th in New York. This includes pieces by Vincent van Gogh and Paul Cézanne, with estimates of up to $180 million and $120 million respectively.

The collection, amassed by Nelly Arrieta de Blaquier and her husband Carlos Pedro Blaquier, has not been publicly displayed for half a century. The artworks include van Gogh's "Châtaigniers en fleurs," believed to reflect the artist's renewed energy after his release from a psychiatric asylum, and Cézanne's portrait "Arlequin," one of four similar works in major museums.

According to experts, the collection's focus on representing each major Impressionist and post-Impressionist artist makes it a rare and valuable find, especially in uncertain global times.