Johnny Depp's Debut Art Collection Sells Out in Hours

Within hours, Johnny Depp went from being a somewhat secret painter to one with sales in the multi-millions. The actor unleashed his debut art collection on the world in a Thursday Instagram post, revealing prints for sale through Castle Fine Art's galleries, per the BBC. Its website was soon overwhelmed with traffic and crashed. Regardless, all 780 prints were sold within hours, with sales totaling $3.6 million. "I've always used art to express my feelings, and to reflect on those who matter most to me, like my family, friends, and people I admire," Depp said in a statement, per People. "My paintings surround my life, but I kept them to myself and limited myself. No one should ever limit themselves."

His debut "Friends and Heroes" collection features vibrant, colorful portraits of four famous people who've inspired Depp: musicians Bob Dylan and Keith Richards and actors Elizabeth Taylor and Al Pacino. Castle Fine Art described the pieces as "pop art with feeling" and existing "at the intersection of pop art and street art." "This world-first release proved to be our fastest-selling collection to date," it added. Framed prints sold for about $4,000, with a bundle of the four selling for about $15,000. Earlier this month, 59-year-old Depp sold NFT portraits of friends and heroes as part of a collection dubbed "Never Fear Truth," raising $800,000 for charity, per the BBC.

On the "Never Fear Truth" website, Depp described how he'd long kept his art hidden, fearing onlookers would see him as misusing his platform as an actor. But "the recent reception to his music with Hollywood Vampires has encouraged him, and emboldened him, to share his art," the website reads. Hollywood Vampires is made up of Depp, Alice Cooper, and Aerosmith's Joe Perry. Lately, the actor has been touring overseas with Jeff Beck, with whom he released a rock album. He remains embroiled in a legal battle with ex-wife Amber Heard, having filed a notice to appeal the $2 million judgment she was awarded in her countersuit to his defamation case. Heard has also moved to appeal the judgment that she pay $10 million to Depp. (More Johnny Depp stories.)