Alain Delon, the immortal star, the irresistible tombeur de femmes, the icon of the cinema of the 60s and 70s, the immortal star. Today, 87 years old, he is auctioning off one of his most irrepressible passions: art collected for over 60 years, with a special taste for Italian Renaissance and 19th century French drawings. “There are two things that I consider my legacy,” he explains, “my acting career and my collection. People ask me if there is a common thread that connects these pieces. I answer: «C’est moi!».
The title chosen by the auction house Bonhams Cornette de Saint Cyr was right: «60 Years of Passion». The protagonists? 81 lots ready to testify to the actor’s magnificent obsession, for a total value that will be close to 5 million euros.
«I bought my first drawing in London when I was just 24» recalls the actor: «It was the time of my relationship with Romy Schneider, whom I met on the set of The pure lover». From then on he will never stop buying works.
And not just any pieces. Works like Sainte-Adresse beach by Raoul Dufy, from 1906 (estimate: € 600,000-800,000), one of the top lots of the parisienne auction, or the charcoal drawing Milkmaid of Normandy by Jean-François Millet (estimate: €100,000-150,000). Then again the sixteenth century St. George slaying the dragon pen and ink by Veronese (estimate: €40,000-60,000), an oil on canvas by Camille Corot (estimate: €100,000-150,000), two works by Eugène Delacroix, respectively Arabian horse tied to a stake (estimate: €400,000-600,000) e Arab Chief (estimate: €50,000-80,000).
They will be beaten in Paris on June 22, after a world tour between Brussels, New York, Geneva and Hong Kong.