So, in a stunning move in 1964, still talked about in art circles, and art Blogs today. Norton Simon bought the entire inventory of Duveen Brothers Inc. in New York for $15 million. The sale included 146 Old Master paintings and sculpture, porcelain, tapestries and furniture assembled by legendary dealer Joseph Duveen, plus a 12,000 - volume art library.. The ephemera for this collage is from, one of four art books that Simon gave me to study.. Before we bought the "Resurrection of Christ" by 15th Century Flemish master Dieric Bouts. For $4.25 million.. I cut those Priceless Art Books and used them in making the collage work.. A purchase that made news also, was when he bought an Edgar Degas gouache and pastel. "Repetition De ballet" in 1965 for a reportedly "breathtaking" $410,000.. In yet Another highly publicized London auction of the Robert von Hirsch collection in 1978 he paid $923,500 - "The Branchini Madonna," the central panel of an altar piece by 15th-Century Italian master Giovanni Di Paolo ..
