Artworks from the British Airways Collection go under the hammer at Sotheby’s

International auction house Sotheby’s will offer 17 paintings, prints and works on paper from the British Airways Collection across two auctions: a 10-day online auction called Modern & Post War British Art that will start on July 20; and a cross-category evening sale called Rembrandt to Richter on July 28. 

Reportedly, British Airways is selling these artworks, which previously decorated its offices and company headquarters, in a bid to raise funds during the COVID-19 crisis which has drastically impacted the aviation industry. 

Bridget Riley, a renowned painter who lives and works in London, Cornwall and Vaucluse, is leading the British Airways Collection sale with her classic Cool Edge artwork. It will be auctioned at the Rembrandt to Richter sale. 

Some of the greatest names of the second half of the 20^th Century, long-celebrated in the British Airways collection. From Bridget Riley, whose Cool Edge ranks among the finest 1980s stripe paintings ever to come to auction, through to the British Modernists and the radical Young British Artists of the 1990s, this offering represents the best of British art,” said Oliver Barker, Sotheby’s Chairman, Europe.

Here are some of the artworks from British Airways Collection that you can expect to see at Sotheby’s:

Cool Edge by Bridget Riley

Best known for her singular op art paintings, Riley’s Egypt trip of 1979 inspired her to create the Egyptian series. The collection makes use of a dynamic colour palette (violet, aquamarine, coral and yellow) identical to the one observed in ancient tomb paintings. In a recent exhibition at London’s Hayward Gallery, Cool Edge was critically acclaimed for capturing the best of Riley’s Egyptian palette and stripe paintings. It was created in 1982 using oil on linen. Estimated Bid: £800,000.

Sunglow by Terry Frost

Terry Frost was a renowned abstract artist who used light, colour and shapes inspired by Cornwall and started a new art movement in England. This masterpiece dates back to 1991. It was crafted with oil on canvas. Estimated Bid: £10,000-15,000.

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Scarlet and Bordeaux in Cobalt by Patrick Heron

Patrick Heron is another abstract artist who belonged to Cornwall. He is said to be one of the leading painters during the second half of 20th century. Made with gouache on paper, this piece was crafted in 1975. The estimated bid is £10,000-15,000.

Scenes from the Passion: The Path In and Ash Wednesday by George Shaw

George Shaw is a contemporary artist known for his famous ‘Scenes from the Passion’ series.These two paintings, created in 1998, capture the beauty of the woods. Estimated Bid: £10,000-15,000 per artwork.

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 5 untitled works by Bridget Riley (Elongated Triangles I)

These screenprints from Riley’s Elongated Triangles I collection dates back to 1971. They are priced at £4,000-6,000 each.

Other works include Grasshopper Portfolio by Peter Doig, Colour Down the Side 1968 by Terry Frost, Valium by Damien Hirst, Eight Landscapes by Julian Opie, Garden 2 by Marc Quinn and two untitled screenprints (Rose and Bronze) by Bridget Riley.