Leonardo DiCaprio's Art Collection Heads to Auction for Environmental Foundation

Actor Leonardo DiCaprio is auctioning artworks from his personal collection to raise $15 million for his environmental foundation. The auction, titled 'The 11th Hour,' will be held at Christie's on May 13. DiCaprio's connection to art began before birth, as his parents were visiting the Uffizi Gallery in Florence when his mother was pregnant, and he kicked upon seeing a Leonardo da Vinci painting, leading to his name. His father later introduced him to the art world in Los Angeles, introducing him to artists like Robert Williams, Robert Crumb, Ed Ruscha, Todd Schorr, and Mark Ryden. In New York, DiCaprio became familiar with the works of Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Francesco Clemente, and Julian Schnabel, and began collecting. His eclectic collection includes fossils, reflecting a childhood passion that evolved into environmental activism. For the auction, DiCaprio has asked collectors and artists to donate pieces, alongside his own contributions, including Andreas Gursky's 'Ocean V' (estimated at $500,000) and a portrait of him by Elizabeth Peyton.