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Lord Attenborough is to sell off his treasured paintings — because he says he has run out of wall space.
He and his wife, Sheila, pictured below, are auctioning off the works that have graced the home they have shared in Richmond for 60 years.
Their collection includes paintings by leading British artists such as LS Lowry, Barbara Hepworth, Ben Nicholson, Henry Moore and Graham Sutherland, many of whom the Attenboroughs knew personally.
Highlights include Old Houses by Lowry — one of Lord Attenborough's close friends for many years — which has an upper estimate of £500,000. Another painting, Thorn Head, by Graham Sutherland comes from the most important period in the artist's career and has been lent to many exhibitions around the world. It is expected to make £150,000 to £250,000 at the Sotheby's auction. And Card Players by Christopher Wood is set to leave the family collection for the second time.
James Rawlin, head of 20th century British art at Sotheby's, said: “This is a very personal, very British collection that has been assembled with huge amounts of knowledge, understanding and enthusiasm. It provides a superb snapshot of British art during the middle years of the 20th century when so much was going on in the wider world.”
The entire collection will go on view in early November prior to sale on 11 November.
Lord Attenborough spent weeks in hospital last year after falling and hitting his head at home.
