Iconic portrait artist Aaron Shikler’s stunning UWS apartment returns for $7M
The spectacular home of late artist Aaron Shikler is for sale once again, reports LLNYC. The painter, who is best known for his brooding and soulful portraits of America’s statesmen and celebrities, including John F. Kennedy, Jackie O. and Ronald Reagan, transferred the ownership of the cooperative in the famed Studio Building to his two children in 2013 before his passing in 2015. The family tried last year to sell the co-op for $7.8 million but sadly were unable to find a buyer. Now it appears they’re hoping an $800,000 price cut and a bevy of new photos showcasing the ornate interiors will help close a deal.
The 11-room apartment is bright and airy with oversized windows, three bedrooms, 2.5 bathrooms and unique, historic details such as carved wood pilasters and Corinthian capitals. The home also enjoys views that look onto the Museum of Natural History and Central Park.
A generous living room is flanked by a grand foyer and a large library which connects to a formal dining room. The dining room keeps its original wood panels, Gothic windows and a working wood-burning fireplace.
The studio where Shikler painted his famous Kennedy portraits measures a grand 25 feet by 22 feet and faces east. The ceilings stretch a lofty 14.5 feet.
The listing touts the apartment as “a blank canvas upon which [its inhabitants] can create a truly unique home for generations to come.”
As the brokers tell LLNYC, Shikler’s two children are selling the home because “they’re ready to move on with their lives.” The Shiklers were only the third family ever to live in the apartment, which dates back to 1900.
If you want to see how Shikler outfitted the home previously, as well as the works that filled his painting studio, you can have a peek here.
[Listing: 44 West 77th Street Apt. 4W by Monica Luque and Christine Mulligan at Elliman]
[Via LLNYC]
[44 West 77th Street at CityRealty]
Images courtesy of Douglas Elliman
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