A triptych of what seem to be tempestuous 19th century seascapes but are actually politically charged works by Banksy is to appear at auction to raise money for a hospital in Bethlehem. The artist himself has donated the three paintings, which will be sold by Sotheby’s in London with an estimate of £800,000-£1.2m. The triptych, Mediterranean Sea View 2017, is a response to the migrant crisis of the past decade. The three traditionally framed paintings appear to be Romantic-era seascapes but the life buoys and orange life jackets being washed on to the shore tell a a different story. Alex Branczik, Sotheby’s head of contemporary art for Europe, said Banksy had taken three found oil paintings and created a work that spotlighted one of the burning issues of the 21st century. “This triptych hangs in Sotheby’s galleries alongside works by some of history’s greatest landscape painters, including Bellotto, Van Goyen and Turner. Banksy’s work, however, stands alone for its potent political message.” The paintings were created for Banksy’s Walled Off hotel in Bethlehem, which boasts “the worst view of any hotel in the world” – a reference to the barrier it looks out on to, separating Israel from the Palestinian territories. It opened in 2017 and is a political statement as well as functioning hotel. Guests have been able to book rooms ranging from budget bunk-bedded dormitories to a presidential suite where water splashes from a bullet-strafed water tank into the hot tub. The hotel is also home to the largest collection of Banksy’s work. The triptych was created for display over a rubble-filled fireplace in the colonial-styled hotel lobby. Proceeds from the triptych’s sale will go towards a new acute stroke unit and buying children’s rehabilitation equipment for the BASR hospital in Bethlehem. It will be sold at a Sotheby’s evening auction on Tuesday 28 July titled Rembrandt to Richter. The sale includes a rare Picasso drawing of his lover and muse Marie-Thérèse Walter and one of the last Rembrandt self-portraits left in private hands.