New York Public Library To Sell Artwork

The New York Public Libary is deaccessioning 19 major works of art in order to raise funds. Two of the most prized pieces are the two portraits of Washington,  currently on view at the National Gallery of Art in Washington as part of the Gilbert Stuart retrospective. The library is selling the pieces through Sotheby's and hopes the pieces will bring in as much as $75 million.  The funds will be used for rare book acquisitions and boosting the NYPL endowment.  The library hopes that another institiution will snap these pieces up so they can remain in the public eye.