What exactly makes a painting a "masterpiece?" “Masterpiece” might be the most overused word in the art world — so who better to unpack what it really means than the specialists at Sotheby’s Old Masters Department? We asked Sotheby’s leading art experts to unpack the term that’s used so often in the art world—but rarely explained. And their answers go beyond beauty or price tags, diving into technique, provenance, condition, and something more intangible: a sense of magic. At the heart of this conversation is The Collection of Jordan and Thomas A. Saunders III—one of the most important private collections of Old Masters to come to auction in recent years. And this isn't just an auction — it’s a journey through five hundred years of art history. With works spanning Renaissance Germany to Baroque Italy and Enlightenment-era England, these paintings tell stories of devotion, symbolism, and unmatched craftsmanship. Join us for an inside look at how experts evaluate these works, what dre...