Picasso has left the building!

Eleven paintings and other works by Pablo Picasso are going up for auction in October as hotel group MGM Resorts seeks to diversify its massive art collection.

The auction is due on October 23rd in the Bellagio hotel in Las Vegas, where the works were on display.

The anticipated sale could fetch about $100 million and is regarded as the most valuable auction dedicated to Picasso that has ever been organised.

The hotel group say they are committed to creating a more inclusive collection that maintains the breadth of their existing portfolio while giving a greater voice to artists from under-represented communities.

The MGM Resorts Fine Arts Collection has about 900 works by 200 artists, including modern pieces by talents like Bob Dylan and David Hockney.

The collection begun 20 years ago by entrepreneur Steve Wynn, who was the former owner of the Bellagio Hotel.

The Picasso pix up for auction include five paintings, some of these being displayed for years in the Bellagio's fancy restaurant, known as 'Picasso'. The restaurant will continue to display Picassos, thank heaven, and diners can still enjoy their steaks while gazing up at masterpieces by the Spanish genius.

Picasso's 1938 painting 'Femme au beret rouge-orange' is expected to sell between $20 million and $30 million.

Portraits 'Homme et Enfant' and 'Buste d'homme' are expected to sell upward of $30 million and $15 million respectively.

Since 2020, museums and art galleries have been working to diversify their collections and appoint more women and LGBT people to their staff.

MGM Resorts said its collection was already diverse but that it wanted to showcase even more works by women, LGBTQ artists, and those with disabilities. This is has to be a fantastic boost for art and artists overall.

https://vegas.eater.com/2021/8/12/22621101/pablo-picasso-art-bellagio-french-restaurant-auction-sothebys