Johnny Depp is earning millions with his art. This is perhaps the fastest-selling collection up to date. The 780 prints, which were made available for purchase on Thursday through the Castle Fine Art gallery in London, sold out “almost immediately,” according to The Sunday-Times, garnering the 59-year-old actor almost $3.6 million.
Four portraits of Bob Dylan, Elizabeth Taylor, Al Pacino, and Keith Richards are included in the “Friends & Heroes” collection, which is his first official effort and is available both separately and as a set. Depp reportedly concentrated on “people he has known well, and who have inspired him as a person,” according to the gallery.
“Each image is an intimate reflection of their character in Johnny’s eyes; a portrayal of how they have revealed themselves to him,” Castle Fine Art said of the pop-meets-street art. “From his dear friend Keith Richards, who inspired the mannerisms of the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, to Bob Dylan, whose creative influence on the artist is seen in his vivid and immortal portrayal by Johnny.”
Each limited edition portrait is listed online for $3,973, with the set of four on sale for $15,040.
“I’ve always used art to express my feelings, and to reflect on those who matter most to me, like my family, friends and people I admire,” Depp said in a statement shared by the gallery. “My paintings surround my life, but I kept them to myself and limited myself. No one should ever limit themselves.”
The gallery shared a behind-the-scenes image of Depp painting in the studio on Instagram before the film’s debut on Thursday. The Pirates of the Caribbean actor posted a photo of himself with the four-part set that was framed and displayed on a wall the same day.
Fans demanded for the collection, and “this world-first release proved to be our fastest-selling collection to date, selling out in just hours,” Castle Fine Art said.
The sale happened a few weeks after the judge rejected his ex-wife Amber Heard’s plea for a mistrial and said that the Virginia defamation trial judgement is still valid. On June 1, the seven-person jury delivered its decision, largely siding with Depp and paying him more than $10 million in damages. For one of her defamation countersuit claims, Heard, received a $2 million award.
Heard appealed the $2 million verdict in Heard’s countersuit to the Virginia Court of Appeals on July 21, one week after a judge denied the actress’ request for a mistrial. Depp filed his own notice of appeal the following day.
Depp has been touring abroad with Jeff Beck, with whom he co-released an album, in the weeks following the trial. In a sit-down interview with Savannah Guthrie of NBC News, Heard stated that she still has “no ill will” against Depp and that she stands by every word of her testimony.
Source: dailymail.co.uk