#SHOWBIZ: Mandopop King Jay Chou splurges RM79mil on rare Matisse masterpiece

TAIPEI: Mandopop icon Jay Chou has left netizens astounded after splurging a staggering US$20 million (about RM79.3 million) on an oil painting by legendary French artist Henri Matisse.

The 47-year-old Taiwanese singer-songwriter is believed to have acquired the 1924 masterpiece, titled The Morning Session, through Sotheby’s, one of the world’s premier brokers of fine art and collectibles.

Taking to Instagram on Wednesday (May 20), Chou shared his deep admiration for the artist, recalling his visits to Nice, France, where he would frequently stand outside Matisse’s former residence and gaze up at the balcony.

“I’d imagine him standing there too someday, staring out at the sunlight over Nice, lost in thought, before walking back into his studio to continue creating,” he wrote.

The pop superstar added that owning a piece of Matisse’s work was a long-held ambition, saying, “Never thought that today, the dream would actually come true.”

An avid art connoisseur, Chou’s impressive personal collection already boasts masterpieces by legendary figures such as Pablo Picasso and Jean-Michel Basquiat.

The singer previously disclosed in a CNN interview that a significant portion of his concert revenue is reinvested into acquiring fine art.

© New Straits Times Press (M) Bhd

المصدر: New Straits Times