He also had an eye for beauty and a passion for art, all of which is revealed in a fascinating exhibition of his vast and eclectic private collection that opened last week.
The lavish contents of his beloved home, Garden Lodge in Kensington, where the Queen frontman lived when in London, have gone on display for the first time at Sotheby’s auction house ahead of being sold next month, when they are expected to fetch between £7m and £11m. The auction’s centrepiece alone, the Yamaha baby grand piano on which he composed hits including Bohemian Rhapsody, could sell for £3m.
“I like to be surrounded by splendid things,” Freddie once said. “I want to lead the Victorian life, surrounded by exquisite clutter.”
He was a man true to his word. Among the 1,500 items in Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own, are Victorian oil paintings and prints by some of the world’s greatest artists, 19th-century French cabinets, Fabergé clocks, antique glassware and art nouveau lamps.
CROWNING GLORY
There are also his spectacular stage costumes, some of which are works of art and could be the most popular items in the sale.
“Freddie always said: ‘I want to be seen at the back. If people have paid to see me, they’ve got to see me on stage,’ and you can really see that with some of the outfits. They are like beacons,” says Sotheby’s senior director David Macdonald, who curated the exhibition and is overseeing the auction. “He’d engage with the designers and talk to them about how he saw things. He’d also embroider himself.”
Denne historien er fra August 14, 2023-utgaven av HELLO! UK.
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Denne historien er fra August 14, 2023-utgaven av HELLO! UK.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
OSCAR-WINNING FAMILY MAN - EDDIE REDMAYNE
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NEW ROYAL REVELATIONS THE KING IS REVEALED AS A 'KINDLY SOUL' WHO'S OPEN TO A RECONCILIATION WITH HARRY
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DEMI MOORE: BREAKING DOWN BEAUTY STEREOTYPES
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For World Kindness Day 2024, HELLO! is celebrating the selfless celebrities, campaigning royals and fabulous fundraisers who prove that being kind isn't determined by who you are, but by what you do. Introduced in 1998 by the World Kindness Movement, this special day on 13 November encourages us all to practise kindness in our daily lives, helping us nurture our feelings of empathy, understanding and compassion to create a more caring world.
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SAYS SHARING STORIES OF DIFFICULT RELATIONSHIPS HELPED HER BRING A STRUGGLING MUM TO LIFE
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A-LISTERS FLOCK TO LOS ANGELES FOR LACMA'S-GLITZY NIGHT OUT
MUSEUM SMASHES FUNDRAISING RECORD AS STARS GLITTER IN GUCCI