Auction introduction: An extraordinary assembly of 20th century masterworks, The David M. Solinger Collection encapsulates the greatest achievements in art at the middle of the last century. The Evening Auction is led by iconic examples from the defining titans of Modernism, including Pablo Picasso, Alberto Giacometti, Willem de Kooning, Joan Miró, Alexander Calder, Jean Dubuffet, and Paul Klee. Reflecting the transatlantic dynamism between the greatest artists of the era, The Collection not only traces art history but foretells it. The Collection also tells the story of David Solinger himself. As a pioneering lawyer in the developing field of art law, he represented leading artists such as Franz Kline, Hans Hofmann and Louise Nevelson, forging lasting friendships with each. Later, as a trustee and then President of the Whitney Museum of American Art – the first from outside the founding family – he steered the museum from a small private institution to the internationally acclaimed museum it is today. And as a benefactor, he generously gave significant artworks to the Museum of Modern Art, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Herbert F. Johnson Museum of Art at Cornell University, and the Whitney Museum of American Art.