Masterpieces: The Private Collection of S.I. Newhouse

Sale Overview

S. I. Newhouse was one of the most influential collectors of the past century, renowned for a sensibility shaped by instinct, intellectual curiosity and exacting standards. Co‑owner of the Condé Nast media empire and a leading figure in American cultural life, he assembled a collection guided not by status, but by a singular commitment to quality and historical significance.

Following landmark sales in 2019 and 2023, this latest selection offers a rare glimpse into the most personal chapter of his collection. Bringing together 16 masterpieces, led by Jackson Pollock and Constantin Brancusi, alongside works by Jasper Johns and Pablo Picasso, the group traces the defining moments of 20th‑century art.

Together, these works reveal the clarity of vision and intellectual rigour that established Mr Newhouse as one of the great collectors of his time. In May, Masterpieces: The Private Collection of S. I. Newhouse opens Christie’s 20th and 21st Century Art auctions in New York.

Auction times

18 May 06:30 PM (EDT) Lots 1A-16A

Our specialist’s selection

Brought to you by

Rachael White Young

Senior Vice President, Senior Specialist, Co-Head of 20th Century Evening Sale | Post-War & Contemporary Art

Rachael White Young is a Senior Vice-President, Senior Specialist and Head of Core Market Sales for the Post-War & Contemporary Art department in New York. She is responsible for the management, strategy and growth of all Core Market auctions for the department in New York, including the Day, Post-War to Present and First Open Online Sales, collectively amounting to more than $200 million in annual sale totals.

She has eleven years of experience at Christie’s. She previously served as Head of the Post-War & Contemporary Art Day Sales (2018-2023) and Head of the Post-War & Contemporary Midseason and Online auctions (2017-2018). During her tenure at Christie’s, she has overseen numerous records, including the highest figure ever achieved for a Day Sale—$110 million in November 2019—and an industry-record high for a work offered in a Day Sale: $8.5 million for a painting by Mark Rothko, achieved in November 2021. In addition to her function as Head of Core Market Sales, she provides top-to-bottom services for her client-base throughout the year, including global auction consignments and sales; private sales; and comprehensive appraisal services. Her specialization is post-war abstraction, including Abstract Expressionism, Color Field and Pop Art, but her passion spans the entirety of 20/21st century art.

Rachael earned a Masters of Fine Arts from the Sotheby’s Institute in London in 2012. She received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and European Studies from Vanderbilt University, with a Minor in History of Art, graduating in 2009. In between degrees, she began her professional journey at Sotheby’s Madrid.

In her free time, she donates her auctioneering services at fundraisers, galas and events for various charitable organizations across the globe.

Paige Kestenman

Vice President, Senior Specialist, Co-Head of 20th Century Evening Sale | Impressionist & Modern Art

Paige Kestenman, Co-Head of the 20th Century Evening Sale, is responsible for sourcing, sale curation and marketing for Christie’s market-leading masterpiece auction taking place each May and November in New York. A Senior Specialist and Vice President with a focus on American Art, Paige regularly provides clients with market updates, valuations and proposals for sale, and she works with a wide array of collectors on both auction and private sale acquisitions.

Since joining Christie’s in 2013, Paige has contributed to important sales ranging from Emanuel Leutze’s Washington Crossing the Delaware, which set a new auction record for any 19th Century American painting ($45 million), to iconic examples by Impressionist and Modern masters, notably including John Singer Sargent’s Capri ($11.5 million) and Georgia O’Keeffe’s Red Poppy ($16.5 million). Over her tenure, she has taken an active role in marketing several of the top American Art collections of all time, including Visions of the West: The William I. Koch Collection totaling $85 million in January 2026. Paige also frequently assists clients with private treaty transactions for artists including Milton Avery, Jacob Lawrence, Norman Rockwell and Andrew Wyeth.

Paige received her Bachelor of Arts from Princeton University with High Honors and earned her Masters in History of Art and Art World Practice: Art, Style and Design with Distinction from Christie’s Education London.