The Noted Art Collection of Nicholas Zoullas At Unreserved Auction, May 12

Guernsey's is honored to be bringing the Collection of accomplished art collector Nicholas Zoullas to unreserved auction in an exceptional three hundred lot event.

Born in Athens, Greece in 1937, Nicholas Zoullas' family survived the turmoil of World War II experiencing the horrors of war firsthand. As Greece was conquered by Nazi Germany, Zoullas' father led the drive to protect Jews seeking refuge. Sadly, this humanitarian work was met with disdain exposing the family to persecution. They fled Greece.

Lot 224, Windmill in a landscape, 1895, Oil on canvas; Estimate $60,000-$80,000

Uncertain of their future, in 1947 the Zoullas family arrived in New York. Befriended by other Greek immigrants, the family settled down. Young Nicholas excelled, ultimately graduating from Harvard Law School. Following in the footsteps of his father, Zoullas entered the shipping industry. And through the years, financial success allowed him to immerse himself in his increasing fascination with his Greek heritage and growing passion for the world of art.

In the 1980’s, Zoullas began to collect. Dietrich von Bothmer of the Metropolitan Museum of Art and leading specialist in the field of Greek antiquities, helped Nicholas put together a substantial assemblage of ancient Greek pottery. As Nicholas matured however, his passion for nineteenth and twentieth century art blossomed into an important collection. Guided by many accomplished museum curators and gallerists, the Collection branched out in diverse and interesting ways. 

A regular for decades at the world’s leading auction houses, Zoullas took a special interest in the classical female form, finding the genre under appreciated in the late twentieth century art scene. As a result, a Collection emerged consisting of work from around the globe with paintings, drawings and sculpture by emerging artists who Nicholas Zoullas financially supported on to examples by some of the most important artists to appear in any collection. 

Lot 120, Le Corbusier, Femme nue Debout, Mixed media - newsprint ink, paper collage; Estimate $40,000-$60,000

With works by Amedeo Modigliani, Kees van Dongen, Reginald Marsh, Rene Magritte, Le Corbusier, and increasingly recognized artists such as Constantino Parthenis and Terry Rodgers, the Zoullas Collection grew. Indeed, featured in several recent Christie’s auctions were select examples from the Zoullas Collection. Now, the time is at hand to present the full Collection to the world and Guernsey’s is honored to be representing the Zoullas family by conducting this exceptional sale. 

Although Guernsey’s New York City offices are temporarily closed during this unprecedented time, emailed questions about the Zoullas Collection will be promptly answered. A small number of works of art are being added to the Zoullas Auction. Accordingly, if you would like us to consider the possibility of consignment or discuss any other matter, please reach out to us at auctions@guernseys.com. 

ABOUT GUERNSEY’S

 In its forty-fourth year, Guernsey’s has built a reputation as the auction house known for representing the most extraordinary properties. From the largest auction in history (the ocean liner S.S. United States) to vintage racing cars on to artwork from the Soviet Union, pre-Castro Cuban cigars and the $3 million baseball, the firm has few rivals when it comes to the presentation of wildly diverse artwork and artifacts. The John F. Kennedy, Franklin Roosevelt, Princess Diana, Elvis Presley, Jerry Garcia, John Coltrane, Dick Clark, Mickey Mantle and the Beatles events were all conducted by Guernsey’s. The auction house is particularly proud of its work with the Library of Congress in the preservation of the complete Rosa Parks Archive.