St. Louis museum receives donation of 22 'masterpieces'

ST. LOUIS -- The Saint Louis Art Museum is receiving a donation of 22 pieces of art, including two by Pablo Picasso.

The St. Louis Post-Dispatch reports that the museum announced the multimillion-dollar gift from Emily Rauh Pulitzer on Monday, calling the works "masterpieces" that are like a primer of art history in the 20th century.

The donation also includes works by another famous Spaniard, Joan Miro; a self-portrait by American Andy Warhol; and one of his iconic Marilyn Monroe prints.

"It's really an extraordinary time to be part of this great institution," said Min Jung Kim, who started as museum director less than two months ago.

Neither Kim nor Pulitzer would estimate the monetary worth of the pieces, but just a few of the most valuable might have brought some $200 million at auction.

Pulitzer, who came to St. Louis in 1964 as the institution's curator, said in an interview she hopes St. Louisans find them meaningful, "as enriching in their lives as they have been in mine."

The Pulitzer family, which made its fortune in publishing and formerly owned the Post-Dispatch, previously had donated 144 artworks, plus millions of dollars, to the museum.