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Lot Essay
Andy Williams (1927-2012) is fondly remembered as one of the most talented, beloved and successful performers of his time. Andy's long and prolific musical career spanned generations, with his love of song evident in most every aspect of his life. With passions that extended far beyond his vocal abilities, Andy's generosity and charisma permeated both stage and screen for many decades and will continue to do so for years to come.
His passion for singing, dancing and entertaining was equaled by his passion for building an exceptional art collection. Andy was a husband and a father, with a grueling travel and work schedule throughout his career, with seemingly little time to devote to art collecting. But once Andy fell in love with art, he pursued it with a single-minded passion that led to the creation of one of the most singular collections of Post-War art in the country.
Initially interested in the modern masters such as Picasso, Braque, and Juan Gris, Andy soon developed a taste for the Color Field painters of the 1950s because, as he said, "I just like color." His collection grew to encompass Early American paintings alongside brilliant examples of De Kooning, Hans Hofmann, Kenneth Noland and Sean Scully. A strategic collector with an eye for quality, Andy created a veritable stockpile of masterpieces, many of which he would come to share with the public through his self-made venue, The Moon River Theatre.
Andy earned everything in life by learning and practicing, working harder than anyone else to be the best. One could draw an analogy between his entertainment career and his collecting career. In both, he was blessed with born talent-in the case of collecting, a precocious eye-but just as he tirelessly worked at his craft in singing and dancing, he was restless in his pursuit of building a great collection.
His passion for singing, dancing and entertaining was equaled by his passion for building an exceptional art collection. Andy was a husband and a father, with a grueling travel and work schedule throughout his career, with seemingly little time to devote to art collecting. But once Andy fell in love with art, he pursued it with a single-minded passion that led to the creation of one of the most singular collections of Post-War art in the country.
Initially interested in the modern masters such as Picasso, Braque, and Juan Gris, Andy soon developed a taste for the Color Field painters of the 1950s because, as he said, "I just like color." His collection grew to encompass Early American paintings alongside brilliant examples of De Kooning, Hans Hofmann, Kenneth Noland and Sean Scully. A strategic collector with an eye for quality, Andy created a veritable stockpile of masterpieces, many of which he would come to share with the public through his self-made venue, The Moon River Theatre.
Andy earned everything in life by learning and practicing, working harder than anyone else to be the best. One could draw an analogy between his entertainment career and his collecting career. In both, he was blessed with born talent-in the case of collecting, a precocious eye-but just as he tirelessly worked at his craft in singing and dancing, he was restless in his pursuit of building a great collection.