Picasso, Monet works up for auction in Rockefeller art trove

An art collection amassed by billionaire David Rockefeller could raise more than $500 million for charity when it is auctioned this spring.

Auctioneer Christie's is selling hundreds of artworks from the collection of Rockefeller and his wife Peggy, including major paintings by Monet, Matisse and Picasso.

Rockefeller, grandson of Standard Oil founder John D. Rockefeller, died in March at 101.

Christie's Americas deputy chairman Jonathan Rendell said Tuesday that "you end up running out of superlatives" for the collection. It includes Claude Monet's water-lily painting "Nympheas en fleur," estimated to sell for $50 million-$70 million, and Pablo Picasso's "Fillette a la corbeille fleurie," which has an estimate of $90 million-$120 million.

The collection is on display in London from Wednesday to March 8 before sales in New York May 7-11.