Madonna pictured during a visit to Mkoko Primary School, one of the schools her Raising Malawi organization has built jointly with US organization BuildOn, on April 2, 2013 in the region of Kasungu, central Malawi. (AFP/Getty Images)
Madonna is parting with an abstract French painting she’s owned for more than 20 years to support educating girls in Afghanistan, Pakistan and other countries. It’s expected to bring $5 million to $7 million.
Fernand Leger’s “Three Women at the Red Table” will be offered May 7 at Sotheby’s auction house. All proceeds will benefit the Ray of Light Foundation.
The pop diva says she wants “to trade something valuable for something invaluable” in countries where female education is rare or nonexistent.
She purchased “Three Women” at Sotheby’s in 1990.
Leger created the work in 1921 as part of a series depicting women with still-life compositions.
Other examples from the series are in the Dallas Museum of Art and the Beyeler Foundation in Switzerland.