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AMONG the demimonde at the V&A launch party last month for Fragile Beauty, Sir Elton John's new exhibition of his collection of photographs, one person was conspicuously absent. Denise De La Rue is one of the singer's favourite artists, and someone he has been collecting for years. He sold her picture of the matador Juan Pablo Sanchez for nearly $18,000 at a Christie's sale of his private collection in February.
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Too modest to boast of her famous fans, she explains the Albas have been among Spain's most prolific artistic patrons for centuries: their collection includes works by Goya and Velásquez, and furniture created for Napoleon III.
De La Rue is obsessed with the past.
This story is from the June 06, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
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This story is from the June 06, 2024 edition of Evening Standard.
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