It’s no surprise that celebrities can easily drop millions for a rare, collectable item. Recently, Jay Chou (周杰倫) revealed he has successfully bid for a painting by famed artist Henri Matisse, with a price tag that shocked netizens.
On 20th May 2026 (Wednesday), the Mandopop icon shared on his Instagram a painting by Henri Matisse, titled “The Morning Session”. In his post, Jay spoke fondly about the artist, showing admiration for his work. The singer also mentioned that he once dreamed about being able to collect one of Henri Matisse’s paintings, before revealing that his dream had come true.
According to reports, the 47-year-old recently purchased “The Morning Session”, known in French as “La Séance du matin”, through an auction by Sotheby’s. The auction house’s website shows that the painting, executed in 1924, was officially sold on Wednesday morning for a whopping US$20 million (approximately RM79.38 million).
Many friends and fans have reacted to Jay’s successful bid, congratulating him on the latest addition to his art collection. For those unaware, the star is an avid art collector and also references renowned artworks in his music. His “Children Of The Sun” music video included several references, including James McNeill Whistler’s “Whistler’s Mother”.
Most of Jay’s collections are displayed at his main residence in Taiwan. Besides the Henri Matisse painting, the singer also owns several artworks from Picasso and Basquiat. Funnily enough, Jay once said in a CNN interview, “I’ve spent almost all my earnings from my concerts on artworks”.
Considering how much he paid for the Henri Matisse artwork, it seems Jay will have to hold more concerts if he wants to continue expanding his expensive collection. What are your thoughts on this?
