#1472

Philip Niarchos

Greece 72 years old

Overview

Philip Niarchos, the oldest son of the late shipping magnate Stavros Niarchos, inherited much of his father's art collection.

The collection was purchased in 1957 for $3 million from actor Edward G. Robinson and includes some of the world's most recognizable pieces.

It is said to be the largest private collection of Van Gogh's work, notably his ear-less self portrait, and includes Picasso's iconic "Yo, Picasso."

Since inheriting the collection, Philip has added post-war and contemporary works, including pieces by Andy Warhol and Maurizio Cattelan.

Andy Warhol rendered CAT scans of Philip's head into a series of paintings called Philip's Skull, completed in 1985.

In 1982 Philip bought a self-portrait by Haitian-American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat for a then-record $3.3 million.