Opera’s Hockney-buying secret saviour revealed as own chairman
‘I hope that the painting will continue to be enjoyed by art lovers and opera goers for many years to come’
A DAVID HOCKNEY painting sold off for almost £13 million to save the Royal Opera House from financial disaster was secretly bought by its billionaire chairman, who will give it straight back to the arts venue.
The cultural institution was forced to sell the portrait of former boss Sir David Webster after revenues collapsed during the Covid-19 crisis.
The 1971 piece by the Yorkshire artist was sold for £12.8 million in October to an unknown buyer, with proceeds earmarked to shore up the Royal Opera House’s depleted finances.
Now the buyer has been revealed as the venue’s own billionaire chairman David Ross, who bid in secret for the painting.
In a surprising but “typically generous” gesture, the philanthropist arts patron will give the portrait straight back to the Opera House.
Colleagues at the London performing arts venue had no idea what their newly appointed chairman was planning, but it is understood the Carphone Warehouse co-founder wanted to stop t he Hockney piece falling i nto t he hands of a private collector.
Mr Ross said: “The arts have had an incredibly difficult year, with many institutions having to make extremely tough decisions in order to survive.
“Before I joined as its new chair, the Royal Opera House decided t hat it would sell this wonderful painting by David Hockney in order to sustain its community of artists and bring the world’s greatest performers back to the stage once again.
“As t he chairman of t he Royal Opera House and the National Portrait Gallery I care deeply about the arts being as accessible as possible and their educational value. “So, I decided to participate in the auction to secure the painting for the British public.”
Royal Opera House chief executive Alex Beard said it was a “total delight” to learn that the venue would retain the painting it had been forced to sell, and said the surprise purchase was “a brilliant and typically generous gesture”.
The Hockney painting depicts Sir David, who led the company for 25 years and helped establish the Royal Ballet.
In the portrait, commissioned to mark t he former chief executive’s retirement in 1971, Sir David is seen sitting next to a vase of roses against the background of a pink wall and turquoise carpet.
It was decided to put it up for auction through Christie’s as part of a plan to balance the books at the Covent Garden institution, but the painting will once again hang in the venue.
Mr Ross, appointed chairman in July, said: “This painting celebrates the key role Sir David Webster played in establishing the Royal Ballet and Royal Opera companies.
“It is fitting that Webster has helped to preserve the organisation he so lovingly built.
“I hope t hat t he painting will continue to be enjoyed by art lovers and operagoers for many years to come.”
The auctioned portrait will be immediately reinstated at the Royal Opera House before being moved to t he National Portrait Gallery for its reopening exhibition in 2023.
The Royal Opera House is planning to restructure, fund raise, and use Government support to help weather the Covid-19 crisis.