In 1999, he lost out on a sculpture of a dancer by the French Impressionist Edgar Degas. He has rarely let it happen again. Over the past two decades, Griffin has emerged as one of the world’s most dogged, deep-pocketed collectors.
His treasures include Abstract Expressionist paintings worth nine figures, rare historical documents, and a Madonna and Child attributed to Leonardo da Vinci. While Griffin previously lent many of his most valuable works to museums anonymously, he has expanded and become more public about his activities over the past year, a shift he says is designed to facilitate scholarship and education as well as satisfy public curiosity. He loaned the da Vinci to the Met this spring, doubling the number of paintings by the Renaissance master on view in the U.S.
The billionaire has also expanded his support of Florida museums since his much-publicized relocation to Miami from Chicago in 2022. Over the summer, an exhibition of 10 works by Jean-Michel Basquiat from his collection went on view at the Pérez Art Museum in Griffin’s new hometown. In 2027, he will place a Richard Serra sculpture he bought earlier this year on public display in a park next to the museum.
I place a huge importance on the aesthetic appeal of a work. Does this work visually make me happy?”
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