The Lord Archer Collection

Tate Modern’s Warhol Retrospective

The Lord Archer Collection had sought to dispose of a significant part of its Warhol holdings in 2001. This might seem undue haste, with Tate Modern’s great Warhol retrospective now due to open 7 February. Comprising some 42 oils and 342 prints, and worth some 25 millions, Archer’s holding represents a significant European Warhol collection in its own right. Put up for sale last year, the 80 works on offer (including the set of multi-colour Marilyns) might just be the tip of the iceberg. Fortunately, the sale is being pursued through the Peter Gwyther Gallery, fairly discreetly rather than by a market plunge, one might say trauma avoided if drama ongoing still.