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| Jay Chou Quietly Drops US$20M on Henri Matisse Painting and Fans Are Losing It. (Credits: Instagram/Jaychou) |
Mandopop superstar Jay Chou has never exactly hidden his love for expensive art, but even longtime followers were left stunned after reports revealed the singer had successfully purchased a rare Henri Matisse painting for a jaw-dropping US$20 million, roughly RM79.38 million.
While most people celebrate releasing a new music video with dinner or maybe a holiday, Jay apparently celebrates by casually buying a museum-level masterpiece from one of the most influential artists in history. The 47-year-old singer shared the news on Instagram, posting close-up footage of the iconic artwork titled “The Morning Session”, also known by its French title “La Séance du matin”.
The painting, originally created in 1924 during Matisse’s famous Nice period, was reportedly sold through a Sotheby’s auction earlier that same morning. According to auction records, the final bid landed at a staggering US$20 million, immediately sending fans into discussion mode online.
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| Jay Chou Adds Rare Matisse Artwork to His Collection. (Instagram/Jaychou) |
What made the moment feel more personal was Jay’s caption. Instead of flexing the purchase like another billionaire trophy item, the singer spoke about his admiration for Matisse dating back years.
Jay Chou recalled visiting Nice, France, and spending time standing beneath the artist’s former home, imagining the legendary painter quietly staring at the sunlight before returning to his studio to create another masterpiece. It sounded less like a celebrity showing off and more like an art fan finally completing a lifelong side quest.
Jay admitted that owning a Matisse artwork from the artist’s Nice era had always been one of his dreams. Now that dream has become reality — although admittedly a very expensive reality.
Most people struggle to justify buying concert tickets these days, while Jay casually went ahead and purchased a painting worth more than entire neighbourhood developments.
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| Jay Chou Buys Rare “The Morning Session” Painting. (Instagram/Jaychou) |
Fans immediately flooded social media with congratulations, disbelief, and jokes about the singer’s bank account surviving another dramatic hit.
Some joked that Jay Chou’s future concert schedules now suddenly make perfect sense, with comments teasing that another world tour might already be necessary “to recover financially”. Others called him the ultimate definition of “successful fangirl behaviour”, except instead of collecting photocards, he collects original Picassos and Basquiats.
One particular comment that gained attention online read, “Normal people frame posters. Jay Chou frames actual art history.” Another fan sarcastically wrote, “At this point his house probably looks like a private branch of the Louvre.” Honestly, they may not be completely wrong.
Longtime followers already know that Jay Chou’s obsession with fine art is hardly new.
Over the years, he has openly showcased works by legendary artists including Pablo Picasso and Jean-Michel Basquiat inside his Taiwan residence.
Some of those collections have even appeared subtly in his creative projects and music videos.
His MV for “Children Of The Sun” notably referenced famous artworks, including James McNeill Whistler’s iconic painting “Whistler’s Mother”, proving that his interest in art goes beyond simply collecting expensive names for status.
Jay Chou himself once admitted during a CNN interview that he had spent “almost all” of his concert earnings on artwork. At the time, many fans thought he was exaggerating slightly. After this latest Matisse purchase, people are now realising he probably meant every word very seriously.
The timing of the reveal also added extra attention online. Jay had just been making headlines after travelling to Chiang Mai, Thailand, with wife Hannah Quinlivan and their family, while simultaneously dropping his latest music video “July’s Aurora” as a special gift for fans.
While followers were busy replaying the MV, Jay was apparently also busy finalising a multi-million-dollar art deal in the background. Casual behaviour from a man operating on completely different financial physics.
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| Instagram/Jaychou |
Interestingly, reactions online were not entirely one-sided admiration. While many praised Jay’s artistic taste and passion for preserving classic works, others questioned whether spending such an enormous amount on a painting still feels relatable in today’s economy.
Many defended the singer, arguing that Jay Chou has earned the right to spend his fortune however he likes after decades dominating Mandopop and live touring across Asia.
At this stage, fans are almost treating Jay’s art collection updates like album announcements. Every few years, another legendary artist quietly enters his living room and social media collectively reacts with equal parts shock & admiration.