Sotheby’s to offer 20 portraits of Helena Rubinstein in NY in May, October

PanARMENIAN.Net - In May and October 2011, Sotheby’s will offer 20 portraits of Helena Rubinstein (1870-1965), the legendary businesswoman and style icon whose name remains synonymous with beauty and elegance more than 100 years after the founding of her company, Helena Rubinstein, Incorporated.

Rubinstein was a pioneer and an innovator, creator of one of the first worldwide beauty brands and the world’s first female self-made millionaire. She was also a noted collector, filling homes in London, Paris and New York with extraordinary works of art. The auctions of works from her estate by Sotheby’s predecessor firm, Parke Bernet in 1965 are still spoken of with reverence, and even today, collectors continue to prize a Rubinstein provenance. As both a patron of the arts and a seasoned collector, Rubinstein sat for portraits by celebrated artists such as Salvador Dalí, Raoul Dufy, Pavel Tchelitchew and Graham Sutherland, all of whose works are featured in the upcoming sales.

Born in Poland in 1870, Helena Rubinstein immigrated to Australia at age 18 and started her business with a face cream as her only product just two years later. It immediately became a bestseller and she eventually expanded to London, Paris and the United States. Rubinstein’s self-made company became a staple in the world of cosmetic beauty products and her exquisite taste in fashion and style elevated her to pinnacle of society in both Europe and America. The story of Rubinstein’s legendary life and career inspired countless films and books, as recently as February of this year, according to artdaily.