Kennedy’s secret muse: tempelsman collection unveils rare glimpse into jackie’s world
More than three decades after her death, a trove of personal belongings once belonging to Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis is set to go on public display, offering an intimate window into a life of quiet elegance and significant artistic connections.
A legacy revealed: sotheby’s auction promises treasures linked to onassis
On June 24th, Sotheby’s New York will host ‘A Marvelous Journey: The Collection of Maurice Tempelsman,’ an expansive auction featuring fine art, antiquities, furniture, rare books, and decorative objects amassed over the lifetime of the late businessman and philanthropist, Maurice Tempelsman. Tempelsman’s passing earlier this year at 96 leaves behind a meticulously curated collection with a particularly poignant thread: his deep and enduring relationship with Onassis.
The connection extends beyond mere friendship; it’s a narrative woven through decades of shared interests and mutual respect. Their paths first crossed years prior to her marriage to John F. Kennedy, establishing a foundation that blossomed after the tragic loss of Aristotle Onassis in 1975. For twenty years, this unlikely pairing cultivated a partnership centered on a shared passion for the arts, a bond forged in the shadows of high society.
Among the most captivating items is a Greek alabaster bust of Aphrodite, famously dubbed “My Greek Alabaster Head of Goddess” in her will. Sculpted likely in the early 20th century, yet mirroring the style of a fifth-century BC Greek masterpiece, the piece – estimated to fetch $7,000 to $10,000 – once graced the White House during the Kennedy administration. Onassis bequeathed it to Tempelsman, a testament to their intertwined lives.
But the collection’s allure isn’t limited to monumental pieces. A 1968 portrait by Aaron Shikler, ‘Mrs. Onassis on Couch, Book in Lap,’ offers a remarkably candid glimpse into her private world – a far cry from the carefully constructed public image she cultivated. Shikler, a trusted portrait artist to the Kennedy family, captured Jackie in an unposed moment, lost in the pages of a novel. This piece, valued between $10,000 and $15,000, speaks volumes about her personal life.
Beyond the art, the collection includes deeply personal touches: a Cartier Tank Louis wristwatch bearing a handwritten inscription from Onassis – “For Maurice, Love J.” – and a stunning gold-and-pearl dress set by Jean Schlumberger for Tiffany & Co., complete with cufflinks and shirt studs adorned with black cultured pearls, accompanied by a heartfelt note: “I Love You.” The wristwatch could realize between $10,000 and $15,000. Even a simple watercolor sketch, inspired by Sandro Botticelli’s ‘The Birth of Venus,’ with the playful inscription “Botticelli by me!” – valued at $5,000 to $7,000 – adds another layer of intrigue.
Tempelsman’s story is one of remarkable transformation. Born in Antwerp in 1929, he narrowly escaped Nazi-occupied Belgium, eventually establishing a successful diamond business in New York and becoming a significant philanthropist, serving on the boards of organizations like the Africa-America Institute and New York University’s Institute of Fine Arts. This collection, far from a simple assemblage of objects, is a chronicle of a life lived with purpose and passion – a testament to Tempelsman’s role as a temporary custodian of beauty and intellectual fulfillment.
“It is an honor to present his collection,” Sotheby’s stated, “of fine art and objects, of which Maurice Tempelsman always considered himself a temporary custodian, destined to share its beauty with future generations in search of similar aesthetic and intellectual fulfillment.”