Tiny university making a big hit in art world with auction of painting that could sell for $12 million

A tiny private university in San Bernardino County is making big news in the art world by putting up for auction on Thursday a painting by the artist  Kerry James Marshall, “Beauty Examined,” that is expected to fetch up to $12 million, the Mercury News reported.

Loma Linda University is auctioning the painting through Sotheby’s.

Charles Simms, a  1960 alumnus of the school who co-founded California Cryobank, the nation’s largest human sperm bank, gave the painting to the college. Sims, of Brentwood, is an avid art collector with more than 300 pieces, the newspaper reported.

Rachelle Bussell,  Loma Linda’s senior vice president for advancement, told the newspaper that the sale will help fund the school’s Center for Genomics, which was established in 2013 and studies the molecular mechanisms of human disease and health disparities.

The university, established in 1905 by members of the Seventh-day Adventist faith, has eight schools, 4,500 students and a $1 billion endowment, the newspaper reported.