The Royal Opera House, London is auctioning a David Hockney painting

The Royal Opera House London is planning to auction a portrait by David Hockney depicting the Opera’s former head Sir David Webster, so as to boost its finances in the midst of the covid 19 pandemic.

The painting of Sir David Webster who ran the opera house from 1945 to 1970, had been commissioned for the building of Covent Garden,London in the 1970s.

According to the Observer, the painting will be auctioned by Christie’s this month and its price is estimated to be between 11 to 18 million pounds sterling.

“This was a really tough call,” Alex Beard, the ROH’s chief executive, told the Observer. “But we have to face the situation we are in and if we can remain viable and get through this, then we can get back to employing people in the future.”

The decision of the Royal Opera comes after reports that the Royal Academy is considering selling a sculpture by Michelangelo worth around 100 million pounds. The 515-year-old sculpture, known as Taddei Tondo, was donated to the gallery in 1929. But a spokesman for the Royal Academy of the United Kingdom said the foundation “has no intention of selling works from its collection”.

aThe Royal Opera House London is planning to auction a portrait by David Hockney depicting the Opera’s former head Sir David Webster, so as to boost its finances in the midst of the covid 19 pandemic.

The painting of Sir David Webster who ran the opera house from 1945 to 1970, had been commissioned for the building of Covent Garden,London in the 1970s.

According to the Observer, the painting will be auctioned by Christie’s this month and its price is estimated to be between 11 to 18 million pounds sterling.

“This was a really tough call,” Alex Beard, the ROH’s chief executive, told the Observer. “But we have to face the situation we are in and if we can remain viable and get through this, then we can get back to employing people in the future.”

The decision of the Royal Opera comes after reports that the Royal Academy is considering selling a sculpture by Michelangelo worth around 100 million pounds. The 515-year-old sculpture, known as Taddei Tondo, was donated to the gallery in 1929. But a spokesman for the Royal Academy of the United Kingdom said the foundation “has no intention of selling works from its collection”.