Damien Hirst portrait of DiCaprio picked up for $1.3 mn at Cannes auction

Damien Hirst portrait of DiCaprio picked up for $1.3 mn at Cannes auctionMay 26, 2023Cannes, May 26 (IANS) At 11:30 p.m. on Thursday in the South of France, the amfAR Cannes gala quietly welcomed one of the biggest movie stars in the world to dinner in a tent off the Mediterranean Sea, writes ‘Variety’.Leonardo DiCaprio had been missing for several years at the glitzy charity auction that marks the end of partying at the Cannes Film Festival, but this year, he brought a date — his mom, Irmelin Indenbirken.Leo, who came to Cannes with Martin Scorsese’s ‘Killers of the Flower Moon’, took the back entrance into the party, skipping the red carpet packed with European influencers and socialites taking selfies in ballgowns that looked like prom dresses, continues ‘Variety’.At around midnight, the charity devoted to raising money for AIDS research unveiled a one-of-a-kind portrait of DiCaprio. Two men rolled the large canvas of art onstage, as if they were handling the Mona Lisa. This was not a gag — it was, in fact, actually valuable, notes ‘Variety’.According to the auctioneer, Damien Hirst had been commissioned to paint the ‘Titanic’ star. Then, some time later, the painting was sold to a private collector, who had donated it back to amfAR to give someone else the opportunity to hang Leo in their living room, adds ‘Variety’.As the bids flew, DiCaprio’s mom stood up with her phone to film all the rich people fighting over a portrait of her son. She looked ecstatic as the final bid was called. Sold! For $1.3 million.As the night emceed by Queen Latifah progressed, Eva Longoria and James Marsden proved to be two of the more successful presenters. They helped pump up the bidding for the new Aston Martin sports car, the DB12, that fetched $1.6 million.–IANSsrb/