PARIS.- Sotheby’s announced the sale of the Rosenthal Collection of Oceanic Art in Paris on 24 March 2010. The collection’s origins date back over 40 years: Monsieur Rosenthal, who grew surrounded by works of art, settled in French Polynesia in 1967 and spent the next two decades there. He fell in love with the history and culture of the Pacific Islands, initially targeting works of art from New Guinea, then developing a passionate interest in the art of Oceania as a whole. Monsieur Rosenthal acquired works in a variety of ways – from chance encounters, from art market events, or from specialist dealers. He likens his collection to a “living entity made up of objects linked to one another by the same creative emotion.” The art of New Ireland, with eight pieces, unquestionably takes pride of place. This ensemble, one of the most important to appear on the market for many years, was built