Los Angeles – This September, Bonhams will present The Personal Collection of Jean Milant, an online sale featuring exceptional prints and unique works from the collection of visionary gallerist and master printmaker, Jean Milant (1943-2024). Best known for founding Cirrus Gallery and Cirrus Editions print shop, Milant was a pioneering figure in the Los Angeles arts scene, instrumental in expanding the creative reach of emerging L.A. conceptual artists. Featuring over 100 works, including highlights by the very artists Milant championed and collaborated with, including Ed Ruscha (b.1937), John Baldessari (1931-2020), Vija Celmins (b.1939), and Jonas Wood (b.1977) among others, the collection will be available to bid online from September 12–23.

"We at Bonhams are honoured to present this discerning collection of such a visionary and pioneering figure in the contemporary Los Angeles art scene," commented Morisa Rosenberg, Head of Department, Prints & Multiples at Bonhams. "Jean Milant was a vital force in modern printmaking, celebrated for his technical mastery, bold material experimentation, and deep collaborations with artists who continually pushed the boundaries of the medium. The Personal Collection of Jean Milant not only pays tribute to his legacy but also offers the public a rare opportunity to engage with the work of a Los Angeles arts icon and the many pieces he helped shape and bring to life."

Headlining the sale is Waves of Advancing Technology, 1983, by Ed Ruscha (b.1937). Estimated at $300,000 – 400,000, this work on paper is making its auction debut and was previously exhibited in This Is Not a Connection, a 2015–2016 group exhibition at Cirrus Gallery, which explored the intersection of image, text, and technology in contemporary art.

Among the standout works in the sale are several pieces by American conceptual artist John Baldessari (1931-2020), with whom Milant frequently collaborated. They include Red Figure (Striding) and Door and Stairs, 1988, a unique mixed media work, estimated at $70,000 – 90,000; as well as Studio, 1988, a lithograph and screen print produced by Milant's Cirrus Editions, estimated at $15,000 – $25,000.

Additional highlights rounding out Milant's collection include:

• Sophie Rummell (II), 1974, by Guy De Cointet (1932-1983), estimated at $20,000 – 30,000.

• Speaking Still Life, 2019 by Jonas Wood (b.1977), estimated at $15,000 – 20,000.

• Untitled (Desert), 1971, by Vija Celmins (b.1939), estimated at $15,000 – 20,000.