Christie’s has just released it’s Forrest Bess catalogue from the group of works being sold privately by the auction house. This exhibition, opening in March, is one of the most visible efforts in the firm’s new strategy of expanding private sales.

No longer able to guarantee works directly—a major source of profit for the auction houses before the credit crisis—both Sotheby’s and Christie’s have put more emphasis on private sales. But only Christie’s has placed one of their most visible (and ambitious) experts at the helm of their privates sales.

The Forrest Bess catalogue contains essays by Robert Storr and Wayne Koestenbaum and can be read here.