THE COLLECTION OF AMBASSADOR JOHN. L. LOEB JR. TO HEADLINE PHILLIPS’ SPRING SEASON ACROSS LONDON AND NEW YORK
The Most Important Private Collection of Danish Artwork Ever Assembled
To be Offered in the March and May Sales of Modern & Contemporary Art Following an International Tour
Collection to be Led by Masterworks
Spanning the Oeuvre of Vilhelm Hammershøi
Vilhelm Hammershøi
Courtyard Interior at Strandgade 30, circa 1905
Estimate: $3,000,000-5,000,000
To be Offered in the Evening Sale of Modern & Contemporary Art, May 2026, New York
NEW YORK – 12 JANUARY 2026 – In Spring 2026, Phillips will present The Collection of Ambassador John. L. Loeb Jr., a landmark auction series that will be hosted across our London and New York salesrooms. We will present nearly 150 artworks from the most important collection of Danish artwork in private hands — that of The Honorable John. L. Loeb Jr. During his time as the U.S. Ambassador to Denmark in the early-1980s, Ambassador Loeb amassed a significant collection of Danish art, now considered to be the largest in the world outside of Danish museums. Led by a curated grouping of masterpieces by Vilhelm Hammershøi, alongside works by Bertha Wegmann, P. S. Krøyer, and Anna Ancher, among many others, the auctions are expected to realize in excess of $12 million. In celebration of Ambassador Loeb’s deep-rooted connection to the people and culture of Denmark, a selection of works from the collection will be unveiled in Copenhagen on 28 January at The Erichsen Mansion. This exhibition, by appointment only, will kick off the world tour across Gstaad, St. Moritz, Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Los Angeles, with full pre-sale exhibitions taking place in London and New York in advance of the auctions.
Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr. said, “When I first arrived in Denmark, I spent quiet evenings walking through the halls of Rydhave, reflecting on the empty walls and thinking about the art I had grown up with. Though I initially planned to fill the space with American art, I was soon drawn to the quietude and beauty of 19th-century Danish paintings. It was art I felt comfortable with, and comforted by. Over time, and with The Hirschsprung Museum as my compass, it became a way to learn about the country, its people, and its culture. I hope that when people stand before these works, they’ll sense the beauty in the people and the land that I felt when I first encountered them, and that these auctions will continue to shine a light on Denmark’s remarkable artistic legacy.”
Jeremiah Evarts, Deputy Chairman, Americas, Senior International Specialist, Modern & Contemporary Art, said, “Ambassador Loeb’s discerning eye and deep appreciation for Danish culture have resulted in a collection of extraordinary depth and sensitivity. His commitment to championing Danish art, particularly the quietly radical work of Vilhelm Hammershøi, has helped bring renewed global attention to a school of painting that continues to resonate with contemporary audiences. Following the success of our 2024 exhibition, Stillness: Hammershøi and American Minimalism, we are proud to present this landmark series of sales. Recent high-profile exhibitions of Scandinavian Art around range from the Metropolitan Museum in 2023 to the current exhibition Northern Lights at AKG Buffalo Art Museum, alongside forthcoming exhibitions of Hammershøi at the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza and a major multi-destination exhibition planned for the United States in 2027, and the current exhibition dedicated to Anna Ancher in London – this all demonstrates the extraordinary and urgent draw of this cultural legacy. Within this context, the appearance of the Loeb Collection on the market will make for a rare opportunity to acquire examples by these masters of light. Phillips is honored to act as a steward for this collection and contribute to the evolving dialogue around Danish art and its enduring relevance.”
Leading the collection is Hammershøi’s Courtyard Interior at Strandgade 30, which served as the keystone work in Phillips’ 2024 exhibition, Stillness: Hammershøi and American Minimalism. The painting portrays a female figure leaning out the window into a courtyard in a composition that balances the quietude of daily life with a staggering painterly Modernism. Combined with his expressive use of atmosphere and daringly simple palette, the work continues to captivate audiences with its modern aesthetic 120 years after its creation. It is also here at Strandgade 30, located in the heart of Copenhagen and the same district as The Erichsen Mansion, where Hammershøi painted many of his most celebrated works. Phillips' choice to begin the exhibition here, a place that can be thought of as the cornerstone for Ambassador Loeb's collection, pays respect to the tremendous significance of Danish art in both his life, as well as the wider art historical canon. Also included among the 10 works by Hammershøi from the Loeb Collection are the exquisite Interior with Windsor Chair, a quintessential interior scene by the artist, and a series of landscapes and portraits that tell a complete story of this unique visionary of Danish art.
The Loeb Collection boasts some of the greatest examples by women artists of the Modern Breakthrough in Danish art. Bertha Wegmann’s resplendent scene of a young woman sitting in a boat combines the influence of the French Impressionists with the unique qualities of Scandinavian light. The Collection includes several works by Anna Ancher as well, including her Young Girl Reading a Letter in which she rivals Hammershøi’s ability to capture the occasional transcendence of daily life.
P. S. Krøyer, one of the leading figures among the Skagen Painters, is represented in the collection by four exceptional works. One of the greatest works by the artist ever to appear at auction, his Self-Portrait, Sitting by his Easel at Skagen Beach, is a triumph of Danish painting. This work is the only example in private hands from a series of four self-portraits executed on Skagen Beach between 1897 and 1909. The other three are housed at the Museum of National History at Frederiksborg Castle, the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, and the Michael and Anna Ancher House in Skagen.
The Loeb Collection will bring to the global stage many other discoveries from Danish art history, ranging from 19th century landscapes by J. Th. Lundbye and interior scenes by Carl Holsøe and Christian Mourier-Petersen through Modernist works by L.A. Ring and Michael Ancher.
AMBASSADOR JOHN L. LOEB JR.
Ambassador John L. Loeb Jr. descends from two of America’s most influential financial dynasties — the Lehman and Loeb families — whose legacies shaped Wall Street and New York society of the 19th and 20th centuries. A former U.S. Ambassador to Denmark (1981–1983), Ambassador Loeb played a pivotal role during the height of the Cold War, working to strengthen Denmark’s support for NATO and to counter Soviet influence in Europe. His diplomatic efforts included persuading Danish leaders and media to embrace President Reagan’s “Zero Option” proposal for nuclear arms reduction and fostering closer U.S.–Danish relations through cultural and political engagement.
Beyond diplomacy, Ambassador Loeb has been a champion of religious liberty and the separation of church and state. His initiatives include the Loeb Visitors Center at Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, and the Loeb Institute for Religious Freedom at George Washington University. These efforts reflect his lifelong dedication to tolerance and inclusion, continuing a tradition of leadership rooted in his distinguished heritage.
An avid art collector, Ambassador Loeb’s collection spans more than 200 years of Danish art history and is celebrated for its depth and cultural significance, including rare works from the “Golden Age” and the “Modern Breakthrough” periods that showcase Denmark’s artistic evolution.
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