Sotheby's to Auction J.M.W. Turner Masterpiece, Expects $12-16 Million

Shortly after the New Year, Sotheby's New York will auction a significant oil painted by J.M.W. Turner, the British artist often considered the forefather of Impressionism. The painting, The Temple of Jupiter Panellenius, has been in a private collection for the past 25 years. The painting also happens to be one of just three landscapes done by Turner that concern ancient Greece.

To date only twenty or so of Turner's works remain in private collections, so it will be interesting to see where this one ends up post-auction. The piece is expected to reach final bids between $12 and $16 million.