Egert Page

The longest-serving employee of the State Department in Washington D.C., Timothy Egert was an avid collector and patron of the arts. With a discerning eye and an appreciation for quality that spans diverse movements, media, regions and genres, Egert amassed an eclectic collection anchored with a distinctive point of view.

Including works by Martin Wong, Paul Feeley, Sonia Gechtoff, Ross Bleckner, Marwan, Karel Appel and other notable artists, Egert's collection demonstrates a passionate dedication to the arts for art's sake and the joy of collecting. Bonhams is honored to offer a selection of works from his collection across several upcoming auctions, including the 20th & 21st Century Art Evening Sale in New York and Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern Art in London.

Explore the collection

Offered in

20th & 21st Century Art Week

19 & 20 November | New York

Martin Wong, Houston Street & Avenue B

A towering edifice rising beneath golden skies of wingless skaters resembling the Putti of Giotto’s frescoes, Houston Street & Avenue B stands among Martin Wong’s triumphs of his late painting. Filled with allegory and personal inflection, the work abounds with motifs and symbols that speak to Wong’s centrality in the Downtown scene of the 1980s and 1990s, his Graffiti collaborators, the architecture of the Lower East Side, and his tapestried heritage.

The painting tells a story of love and death, freedom and detention, New York City and the American Dream. Long unseen and recently rediscovered, it stands as Wong’s most profound meditations on the paradoxes of freedom.

Reflecting Timothy Egert’s enduring passion for artists who gave voice to the cultural and social pulse of their time, this work epitomizes the depth and intelligence that defines his collection.

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