Manhattan is filled with some of the world's most incredible real estate. But there's one penthouse, fresh on the market, that stands out for more than its sprawling proportions and impeccable design. The seventh-floor home at 73 Fifth Avenue belonged to the late famed Picasso biographer and art historian Sir John Richardson.
Listed for $7.2 million, the private loft residence is brimming with eclectic details and of course, an enviable art collection. He filled the apartment with pieces from artists like Kathy Ruttenberg, Andy Warhol, Salvator Rosa, and Picasso. You can see the museum-worthy works lining the walls in the listing photos, as well as other sculptures and artifacts that adorn the 5,400-square-foot apartment.
In fact, you still get a sense of the creativity that took place here thanks to the plethora of furniture, nick-nacks, and writing materials left behind. Richardson's scarf and hat collection are still on display, perfectly-placed between two busts and a tri-colored stand holding an oversized art book.
Although these works and personal items aren't included in the sale (they will be auctioned off sometime in the next year), the new owner will still get an incredible provenance and piece of history. According to the listing, the four-bedroom home was "where some of the most famous artists, writers, and society figures of the late 20th and early 21st century lived, laughed, and loved."
Aside from the history, the impressive loft features soaring ceilings, 30 oversized windows, four exposures, dark oak floors, mahogany doors, columns, and colorful walls. It's currently set up as a two-bedroom home with a studio, gallery, and library but could easily be converted into a five or six-bedroom home. That's in addition to the living and dining rooms.
Jeffrey Stockwell, one of the Compass agents representing the property, said, "As is, the apartment is incredible—a masterpiece unto itself. However, the next buyer could easily create an entirely new and modern apartment. The space is completely flexible."
The apartment is such a standout that it was even mentioned in Richardson's New York Times obituary when he died in March. The full-floor pad was described as "a grand enfilade of rooms overflowing with everything from Picassos and Braques to flea-market finds he had collected from every corner of the globe."
