The Collection of Sidney Rothberg To Shine Again this June

The proud Philadelphian will be honored through two new sales reflecting the collector’s experimental and bold taste.

Lot 9 | Honoré Daumier | Le Buveur Chantant, c. 1856 | Estimate: $25,000 - 40,000

This June 24 and 25, 2025, Freeman's | Hindman will present more of the extensive collection What Do You See? The Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Parts III and IV. Building on the success of the premier multi-million dollar auctions of last winter, which marked the rediscovery and debut of important fine art pieces by notable artists including Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Robert Delaunay, Wayne Thiebaud, and Lee Bontecou the two upcoming events feature new paintings by Édouard Vuillard, Jean Cocteau, Charles Burchfield, Kenny Scharf, René Magritte, and many others.

Lot 335 | Maria Helena Vieira da Silva | Le Cerf-Volant, 1933 | Estimate: $6,000 - 10,000

“We are excited to reveal more works from this collection that have not been on public view for decades” says Alasdair Nichol, Deputy Chairman and Director of Fine Art. “The global enthusiasm generated by last year’s sales was absolutely thrilling. Sid Rothberg had a unique perspective on life and art, which inspired his incredible collection. We are thrilled to continue honoring his legacy and impeccable taste through these new sales, which demonstrate just how original and visionary Sid was.”

Collector Sidney Rothberg and Daughter Saranne Rothberg

A FORMIDABLE RANGE OF ART WILL BE OFFERED

More than 300 hundred works will be offered, showcasing a variety of styles, periods, mediums, sizes, and price points. “This truly reflects Mr. Rothberg’s humanist approach, as he sought to capture artists’ versatility, understand their experimentations, and compare their trajectory in light of other movements,” Says Raphaël Chatroux, Head of Sale and Head of the Impressionist and Modern Department. “This new series of sales unveils accessible works tailored to both traditional and emerging collectors. It serves as a reminder that despite Mr. Rothberg’s deep art knowledge, his collection is, at its core, a reflection of his approachable, joyful (at times playful), and ever-curious nature.”

Lot 359 | Romare Bearden | Untitled (Figures in a Landscape), 1974 | Estimate: $8,000 - 12,000

Works from the substantial Rothberg collection will be offered across two sales the third week of June, following a free chronological order. The first sale will focus on 19th Century, Impressionist, and Modern Art, while the second will emphasize Mr. Rothberg’s appreciation for Post-War and Contemporary Art.

Among the highlights available on June 24 will be a rare oil painting by the French caricaturist Honoré Daumier, Le Buveur Chantant (estimated at $25,000-40,000), a soft red chalk drawing by Pierre-Auguste Renoir serves as a study for his 1910 oil Le Bain (estimated at $12,000-18,000), along with a lifetime bronze of Suzon by Auguste Rodin – as a key art figure in Philadelphia and whose body of work Rothberg explored, living steps from the Rodin Museum for most of his adult life. (estimated at $6,000-10,000).

Lot 1 | Auguste Rodin | Buste de Suzon (Taille Originale dite aussi Taille N°5) | Estimate: $6,000 - 10,000

On the following day, June 25th, almost two hundred works will take center stage, including several gouache and oils by Jean Hugo, a protégé of Dr. Albert C. Barnes whose market is currently on the rise (estimates range from $800 to $1,500). They will be offered alongside various oils by German-born abstract painter Carl Holty, who studied under Hans Hofmann (collective estimate of $3,000 to $5,000), two studies by Henry Moore (top estimate $4,000), as well as a 1974 watercolor by Romare Bearden ($5,000 to $8,000).

Across the two events, works by global artists, Philadelphia natives, and women artists will be well-represented with examples ranging from Betty Parsons, Elsie Driggs and Maria Helena Vieira da Silva to William Glackens, Paul Cadmus, Janet Fish, Arthur B. Carles, and Jane Piper.

Lot 267 | Jean Hugo | Terrasse de Café à Sète, 1939 | Estimate: $1,000 - 1,500

ROTHBERG ALWAYS ASKED: “WHAT DO YOU SEE?”

Rothberg was recognized as a “collector’s collector,” using his collection to provoke, challenge, and question those around him. Rothberg was a self-made man and single dad. He came from a humble Philadelphia family. During his WWII deployment in France as a young soldier, he had his first exposure to art, sparking a lifelong curiosity and a passion for studying and collecting works. He nurtured this interest while attending classes at the Wharton School of Business in Philadelphia and later at the University of Burgundy in Dijon, France. An avid museumgoer, particularly at the Barnes Foundation where he both studied and lectured as the protégé of Violette de Mazia.

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

Rothberg’s distinctive outlook serves as the overarching sale title, as Rothberg was always curious what each person saw when studying a work of art. Even as young child, his daughter Saranne remembers being continually asked, “What do you see?”

She continues: “My father bought his very first painting at auction at Freeman’s in his 20s. For me, this compelling series of single-owner sale auctions are a poetic full-circle moment, watching his decades of global treasures create so much intrigue and joy for other collectors bidding from around the world and in his beloved City of Philadelphia. Through his collection, he sparks your creativity and connects you to his appreciation of beauty, movements, influences, and risk-taking. Though I wish everyone could have met my dad in person, I’m overjoyed that collectors are meeting him through this captivating and adventurous collection that reflects all the passion, joy, curiosity, and love that went into curating and appreciating it.”

Lot 221 | René Magritte | Lettre Objet (Le Canal) | Estimate: $5,000 - 8,000

To honor Mr. Rothberg’s inquisitive mind, Freeman’s Hindman will carry on the successful interactive and immersive experience introduced last year during parts I and II, which made the inaugural sales of the Rothberg Collection one of the house’s most engaging, discussed, and well-attended auctions of 2024.

Please note that a portion of sale proceeds from The Collection of Sidney Rothberg will be donated to support free programs helping to improve the lives of cancer patients, survivors, and their caregivers. In advance, thank you for participating.

ONLINE CATALOGUE AVAILABLE:

PART III

PART IV

LIVE EXHIBITIONS
(free and open to the public)

June 17 through June 23, 10am-5pm (daily)
Open the morning of each sale by appointment only

LIVE SALES
(available for live and global online bidding)

What Do You See? The Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Parts III and IV
June 24 and 25, 10 AM ET
2400 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA

Want to learn more about this exciting collection and be notified of the upcoming sales? Contact: Raphaël Chatroux at [email protected]

Get to Know the Collector. Watch the Rothberg Art Collection Video.

Covers Below From The Two Prior Successful Rothberg Sales:
What Do You See? The Collection of Sidney Rothberg Parts I & II