BEST-SELLING AUTHOR MICHAEL CRICHTON APPROACHED ART IN THE SAME WAY HE DID HIS WRITING, THROUGH EXTENSIVE RESEARCH, BUT ALSO BY DEVELOPING CLOSE FRIENDSHIPS WITH MANY OF THE ARTISTS WHOSE WORKS HE COLLECTED. THE POPULAR THRILLER WRITER DIED IN 2008 LEAVING BEHIND SUCH BLOCKBUSTERS AS 'JURASSIC PARK', 'THE ANDROMEDA STRAIN' AND THE TV SERIES 'ER'. BUT HE ALSO LEFT A 20th CENTURY ART COLLECTION THAT FEATURES SOME OF POP ART'S BEST KNOWN ARTIST'S, INCLUDING JASPER JOHNS, ROY LICHTENSTEIN AND CLAES OLDENBURG. CRICHTON'S FAMILY IS SELLING OFF ABOUT 80% OF THE COLLECTION AT CHRISTIE'S AUCTION HOUSE IN NEW YORK ON 11-12.MAY. AMONG THE HIGHLIGHTS IS JASPER JOHNS' 'FLAG', A RENDITION OF THE AMERICAN FLAG THAT CRICHTON BOUGHT FROM THE ARTIST IN 1974, AND WHICH DECORATED THE WRITER'S BEVERLY HILLS BEDROOM. IT WAS LAST EXHIBITED IN 1992-93 AT THE ROYAL ACADEMY OF ARTS IN LONDON. ABOUT 70 OF THE 100 WORKS FROM THE COLLECTION, INCLUDING PAINTINGS BY JEFF KOONS, PABLO PICASSO AND ROBERT RAUSCHENBERG, WILL BE DISPLAYED AT CHRISTIE'S ROCKEFELLER CENTER GALLERIES UNTIL 13.APRIL. A SPOKESPERSON FOR CHRISTIE'S SAID THAT CRICHTON WAS GENEROUS IN LENDING WORKS FROM HIS COLLECTION FOR EXHIBITION, BUT WAS POSSESSIVE ABOUT THE 'FLAG'. 'WITH THE FLAG IT WAS SUCH A PERSONAL THING BECAUSE OF HIS RELATIONSHIP WITH JOHN', HE ADDED. THE 'FLAG' HAS A PRE-SALE ESTIMATE OF $10 MILLION TO $15 MILLION, BUT CHRISTIE'S BELIEVES IT WILL SET A NEW WORLD RECORD FOR THE ARTIST. THE CURRENT JOHNS RECORD STANDS AT $18 MILLION FOR 'FIGURE 4', SET AT CHRISTIE'S IN 2007. A LARGER 'FLAG' OF THE ARTIST'S SEMINAL IMAGE WAS PURCHASED PRIVATELY LAST MONTH FOR $110 MILLION BY HEDGE FUND BILLIONAIRE STEVE COHEN.
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