Join Freeman's | Hindman's esteemed fine art specialists as they dive into their selections ahead of What Do You See? The Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Parts III and IV, to be held on June 24 and 25, 2025. 

Raphaël Chatroux 

Lot 269 | Jean Hugo (French, 1894-1984) | Lauretta, Marie et Caroline | Estimate: $800 - 1,200

This small watercolor by Jean Hugo is, without question, my favorite lot in the entire Rothberg sale. I truly discovered Hugo’s work through the eye of Sidney Rothberg during last year’s events, and was immediately drawn to his gouaches. Not just for their bold, vibrant colors, or their attention to detail but also (and mainly?) for their format. I’ve always preferred smaller works of art, and Hugo’s miniatures have this intimacy and preciousness that feel very magical, almost like tiny charms. This particular piece stands out to me especially because I remember finding it in storage, in the bottom of a very large bin. I first thought it was a March Avery watercolor, but then I noticed the signature. The three women lined up on the sofa felt mysterious and warm at the same time. When I later discovered that the women were the artist’s wife, daughter, and sister-in-law, the work took on an even deeper meaning. It was clearly a family portrait and the work felt even more special.

Lauren Colavita

Lot 258 | Jane Piper (American, 1916-1991) | Still Life, circa early 1960s | Estimate: $5,000 - 8,000

Of all the works in the Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Still Life by Jane Piper is the one I return to most. As a Philadelphia resident and admirer of women artists, Piper’s legacy feels especially personal to me- not only because of her ties to the city, but because her bold, lyrical use of color speaks to something essential. Her ability to balance spontaneity with structure, figuration with abstraction, transforms a simple interior into something ecstatic. The light in this painting breathes. Its rhythm pulses. I’m fortunate to own a work on paper by Piper, and seeing this larger oil feels like a conversation with that quieter piece- a deepening of the same visual language. Still Life doesn’t just depict a moment; it invites you to feel it.

Adrianne Wolkenberg

Lot 318 | Dale Chihuly (American, b. 1942) | Ikebana Series, 1977 | Estimate: $4,000 - 6,000

The Dale Chihuly painting on paper entitled Ikebana Series from 1977 is a favorite work of mine in the Sidney Rothberg Collection, because it is such a large-scale, visceral piece that evokes the artist’s practice in glass. Bright tendrils of fire seem like they are jumping from the painting, it somehow combines the color and energy of Chihuly’s work with the connection he makes to nature, but within two dimensions instead of his usual three. The glass-maker created a series of works called Ikebana that refer to the Japanese art of flower arranging and all have tall, long-stemmed flowers and leaves coming from vessels. He often situates them in nature for viewers to happen upon and I love this juxtaposition of the carefully crafted with the chance encounter, which I think speaks to Mr. Rothberg’s collecting style as well.

Melissa Flack

Lot 91 | Carroll Sargent Tyson Jr. (American, 1877-1956) | The Wharf  | Estimate: $3,000 - 5,000

The Wharf by Carroll Sargent Tyson Jr. is my favorite piece in the collection. Every time I look at it, I’m transported to warm summer days by the water. It evokes a deep sense of nostalgia and peace—a gentle daydream I can step into. Tyson’s rendering of light glimmering on the water, paired with the quiet activity along the dock, creates a serene and timeless atmosphere. The vantage point, set slightly back, allows us to observe the scene from a distance—calm, safe, and quietly connected. It’s a moment of stillness I find myself returning to again and again.