Gene Hackman, the iconic actor best known for his roles in The French Connection and Unforgiven, had a secret passion - art. A 33-page draft script of the movie The Silence of the Lambs, which he was initially set to direct and play Hannibal Lecter, is among over 400 items from his estate going up for auction later this month.
Hackman's love of art was not known to many outside his circle, but it has been revealed through a collection of private and iconic collections at Bonhams. His daughter reportedly read the book The Silence of the Lambs and told her father that he wasn't making the movie. Instead, he took art classes from local artists and created over 70 pieces, including seascapes, still lifes, and portraits.
Among his artworks are copies of famous paintings by Henri Matisse and Vincent van Gogh. Hackman's portrait of his wife Betsy Arakawa, a classical pianist, is also on display. The sale includes other notable works such as Green, 1986 by Richard Diebenkorn, estimated to fetch between $300,000 and $500,000.
Hackman was not just an art enthusiast but also a collector of postwar and contemporary art, western and Native American art, photography, and prints. His taste spanned the globe, with pieces from artists such as Milton Avery, who sold for between $500,000 and $700,000.
The Gene Hackman Collection: A Life in Art offers a poignant epilogue to his acting career and personal life. The collection includes annotated scripts, call sheets, posters, and behind-the-scenes photos from some of his most notable films. It also features Golden Globe trophies and the Cecil B DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award complete with a handwritten acceptance speech.
The sale will be held in three parts - one live auction on 19 November and two online sales that will follow. Listings start as low as $100 for Hackman's dart board or $600 for his Seiko diver's wristwatch, demonstrating the breadth of his collection.
Hackman's love of art was not known to many outside his circle, but it has been revealed through a collection of private and iconic collections at Bonhams. His daughter reportedly read the book The Silence of the Lambs and told her father that he wasn't making the movie. Instead, he took art classes from local artists and created over 70 pieces, including seascapes, still lifes, and portraits.
Among his artworks are copies of famous paintings by Henri Matisse and Vincent van Gogh. Hackman's portrait of his wife Betsy Arakawa, a classical pianist, is also on display. The sale includes other notable works such as Green, 1986 by Richard Diebenkorn, estimated to fetch between $300,000 and $500,000.
Hackman was not just an art enthusiast but also a collector of postwar and contemporary art, western and Native American art, photography, and prints. His taste spanned the globe, with pieces from artists such as Milton Avery, who sold for between $500,000 and $700,000.
The Gene Hackman Collection: A Life in Art offers a poignant epilogue to his acting career and personal life. The collection includes annotated scripts, call sheets, posters, and behind-the-scenes photos from some of his most notable films. It also features Golden Globe trophies and the Cecil B DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award complete with a handwritten acceptance speech.
The sale will be held in three parts - one live auction on 19 November and two online sales that will follow. Listings start as low as $100 for Hackman's dart board or $600 for his Seiko diver's wristwatch, demonstrating the breadth of his collection.
. I mean, who knew that a Hollywood legend like him was also a talented artist? His artwork is like, totally unique and personal - you can tell he poured his heart into it. I love how his collection spans all these different styles and periods - from Matisse to Van Gogh, Western art, Native American art... it's like he was on this artistic journey around the world 
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Can you believe Gene Hackman was like a superhero in real life? Not only was he Hannibal Lecter, but he was also a master painter and art collector! I mean, who needs Oscars when you can have art awards, right? 
The fact that his wife was a classical pianist and he painted her portrait is just too cool. I wonder what Hannibal would say if he saw those artworks – "You're as beautiful as a fine Chianti" 
. And can we talk about his collection? It spans everything from post-war art to Native American art and photography 
. I mean, $300k-$500k for Green by Richard Diebenkorn is a serious bargain 
. The fact that his personal life is being auctioned off is like... wow 
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. i mean, he was just trying to express himself and now it's all being exploited for profit 
also, what's up with the weird selection of items going up for auction, like a dart board? who buys that stuff? 
He had a secret passion for art that was unknown to many people outside his circle 
I love how he took art classes and created over 70 pieces, including portraits of his loved ones 
The fact that some of these artworks are copies of famous paintings by Matisse and Van Gogh is just mind-blowing 
. I mean, I'm glad they're sharing some of Gene Hackman's art with us, but come on, who needs a 33-page script draft? Can't they just let the artists shine without making their work into a "collection" and selling it off? And what's up with all these online sales? It feels like we're getting scammed into buying everything from his dartboard to his Seiko diver's watch for like, pennies 
. I swear, auction sites are just a glorified thrift store now...
His portrait of Betsy Arakawa is particularly gorgeous - it's a testament to his talent and attention to detail 
It's like we're getting a glimpse into a whole new side of this acting legend 
Can't wait to see which pieces will be sold at auction - fingers crossed for some amazing results!