Victor Vasarely Romare Bearden Henry Moore Thomas Eakins Arshile Gorky Illustrator José Cisneros Has Died Busa Paintings Pilfered from Son’s Home A Broader Vision for Denver

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The deaccession was first reported by Tyler Green on his blog Modern Art Notes. He lists the nine items that the museum is selling: three Eakinses as well as two Arshile Gorkys, two works by Henry Moore, one piece by Victor Vasarely, and one by Romare Bearden.

All pieces are being deaccessioned to raise money for the acquisition fund, a measure within the prescribed practices of the American Associated of Museums.

The three Eakins paintings, among the Hirshhorn's collection of some 220 artworks by the artist, are a study for William Rush and His Model (est. $80–120,000), a study for Portrait of Mrs. Charles L. Leonard (est. $100–150,000), and a portrait of Robert C. Ogden ($400–600,000), the museum's only full-length Eakins work. None has been shown at the museum since a 1977 survey of Eakins's work.

Valerie Fletcher, a senior curator at the museum, told the Post that the decision was based on a survey of the collection conducted in 2005–07. "With a major artist and a large collection, you assess how other people see your collection, such as how many are borrowed over the years, what works are on view... what is its condition," and how much, if at all, a painting has been written about by scholars, she said.

The Eakinses will be sold as part of Christie's 142-lot Important American Paintings, Drawings and Sculpture auction on May 20.