It’s not at all surprising to find out that many of the world’s multimillion dollar art collections are owned by celebrities. They’ve got a lot of money, enjoy the finer things in life, and are creatives themselves. We mean, once you’ve got a mansion – you’ve got to fill it with something, right?
Actually, throughout history it’s always been celebrities who’ve owned art collections. Kings, queens, Popes, and noblemen were all the celebs of their day. We mean, once you’ve got a castle – you’ve got to fill it with something, right?
Perhaps the most famous art-loving celebrity is Leonardo DiCaprio. DiCaprio can often be found at big Christie’s or Sotheby’s auctions and has a star-studded collection. In 2018 he produced the documentary Struggle, which shone a light on the work and life of Stanislaw Szukalski – an under-appreciated Polish artist and close family friend of the DiCaprios.
We’ve been sleuthing and have compiled a list of some of the A-listers with the most impressive art collections and whose art they’re coveting. (Some of the artworks listed may have been sold by the point of publishing this article – they’ve got to make room in their mansions sometimes)
Leonardo DiCaprio
Owns Work By: Jean-Michel Basquiat, Oscar Murillo, Salvador Dali, Ed Ruscha
Beyoncé & Jay Z
Own Work By: Andy Warhol, Pablo Picasso, Richard Prince, Tim Noble
Elton John
Owns Work By: Keith Haring, Philip Taaffe, Andy Warhol, Daniel Hirst
Neil Patrick Harris
Owns Work By: Kehinde Wiley, Tony Payne, Darina Karpov, Andrew Sendor
Lady Gaga
Owns Work By: Leigh Bowery, Francesco Vezzoli
Ellen Degeneres
Owns Work By: Alexander Calder, Francois-Xacier Lalanne, Jean-Michel Basquiat
Brad Pitt & Angelina Jolie (pre-split)
Own Work By: Banksy, Neo Rauch, Richard Serra, Marcel Drama
Jack Nicholson
Owns Work By: Amedeo Modigliani, Auguste Rodin, René Magritte, Henri Matisse
Oprah Winfrey
Owns Work By: Gustav Klimt, Richard Edward Miller, Hovsep Pushman
Madonna
Owns Work By: Fernand Léger, Man Ray, Frida Kahlo, Diego Rivera
Tom Ford
Owns Work By: Mark Bradford, Elsworth Kelly, Sam Taylor Wood, Andy Warhol
Steve Martin
Owns Work By: Francis Bacon, Cindy Sherman, Eric Fischl, Pablo Picasso
Pharrell Williams
Owns Work By: KAWS, Takashi Murakami, Keith Haring, Daniel Arsham
David & Victoria Beckham
Own Work By: Damien Hirst, Tracey Emin, Banksy, Jake & Dinos Chapman
Author: Verity Babbs