Did you know that the world’s biggest art collector was an Arab?
On 9 November 2014, the world’s biggest art collector passed away. He was only 48 years old. Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed Al-Thani was not only renowned for being the Emir of Qatar’s cousin. From 1997 to 2005, he was president of the National Council for Culture, Arts and Heritage. In addition to being instrumental in opening libraries, museums and schools, Sheikh Saud bin Mohammed Al-Thani spent more than $1 billion on art during his presidency alone. This made many art-market experts see him as the art collector par excellence. Some even regarded him as the most powerful art collector in the world.
To better grasp the sheer scale of his personal passion for art, items from his collection are the majority of works on display at a Photography Museum, the Museum of Islamic Art, the Natural History Museum, the National Library, and a museum for traditional textiles and clothing.