Eddleman Collection: Baroque Paintings for Quantum Research

What do Old Masters have to do with quantum physics? An upcoming auction will see works from the Roy T. Eddleman Collection sold in a good cause.

Baroque portraits and quantum physics – Roy T. Eddleman saw no contradiction between the two. The California businessman harboured a lifelong fascination with scientific research and history. Eddleman’s entrepreneurial success was driven by intellectual curiosity and a passion for science. He attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill but left before completing his degree, opting instead to move to Los Angeles. There, he began selling laboratory equipment and later joined Calbiochem. In 1970, at just 30 years old, he founded his first company, Spectrum Inc., which quickly rose to prominence as a leading manufacturer of hollow fibre and tubular membranes for the pharmaceutical industry. Over the years, Eddleman launched eight other companies and received numerous patents for innovative products and processes.

Throughout his life, Eddleman gave generously to scientific research and academic institutions. During the AIDS crisis, he co-founded Labor Day LA to support those affected by the disease, while his later years saw him focus on what he viewed as the future-critical field of quantum research. The entrepreneur, who died at his home in Beverly Hills in 2022 at the age of 82, cultivated a wide circle of friends and earned a stellar reputation as a host. His legendary parties, often involving surprise private flights, left a lasting impression; his generosity knew no bounds.

Eddleman’s art collection – a testament to his wide-ranging interests – honours all the major historical periods of art. Spanning from antiquity to 19th century Europe, it includes a broad range of treasures from Italian bronzes to Georgian furniture, fine silver and Meissen porcelain. Dorotheum’s auction will feature a selection of Old Master paintings, including several portraits of Habsburg rulers, among them a magnificent depiction of Emperess Maria Theresa by the court painter, Martin van Meytens. All proceeds from the sale of Eddleman’s estate will benefit the Eddleman Quantum Institute, a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing science and technology through quantum research.