Gene Hackman’s Art, Awards, and Legacy Go Under the Hammer at Bonhams

Bonhams will host a series of auctions this November featuring the art collection, film memorabilia, and personal belongings of late Oscar-winning actor Gene Hackman.

The sales, spread across one live and two online events, will offer an intimate look into the private life and artistic passions of the legendary actor, who died in February at the age of 95.

Hackman, best known for his roles in The French Connection, Unforgiven, and The Royal Tenenbaums, was more than a Hollywood icon. He was also a devoted artist, art collector, and patron of the arts during his decades-long residence in Santa Fe, New Mexico.

A Life in Art: The First Auction

The first sale, titled Gene Hackman: A Life in Art, Part I, will take place on 19 November at Bonhams New York. It will feature fine artworks from Hackman’s personal collection, including pieces by Milton Avery, Richard Diebenkorn, and Auguste Rodin.

Among the standout lots is Avery’s Figure on the Jetty (1957), estimated between $500,000 (£395,000) and $700,000 (£555,000). Hackman purchased the painting from Sotheby’s New York in 1997 for $244,500 (£193,000).

Another highlight is Diebenkorn’s Green (1986), a colour etching expected to fetch $300,000 (£237,000) to $500,000 (£395,000). A Rodin sculpture, yet to be fully detailed by Bonhams, carries an estimate of $200,000 (£158,000) to $300,000 (£237,000).

Andrew Huber, Bonhams’ Head of 20th & 21st Century Art, said the sale reflects the actor’s lifelong devotion to visual culture.

‘These are prestigious works with impeccable provenance, further enriched by their association with one of the greatest actors of our time,’ Huber said in an interview with People. ‘Hackman was not only a collector but an artist himself, and his approach to collecting mirrors the care, aesthetic sensibility, and discipline evident in his own artistic practice.’

Expanding the Legacy Online

Two subsequent online auctions, Part II (8–21 November) and Part III (25 November–4 December), will expand the scope beyond fine art to include Hackman’s personal artworks, annotated film scripts, signed posters, and other keepsakes from his six-decade career.

Bonhams said the sale will also feature two of Hackman’s Golden Globe trophies: one for his Oscar-winning role in Unforgiven (1993) and another for The Royal Tenenbaums (2002). His Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award from 2003 will also be offered.

Other highlights include a still-life painting by Hackman himself, estimated at $1,000 (£790) to $1,500 (£1,185), and books from his personal library. These annotated volumes reflect his lifelong interest in history and storytelling, passions that also shaped his later work as a novelist.

Anna Hicks, Bonhams’ Head of Private and Iconic Collections, described the auction as a chance to glimpse the man behind the fame.

‘Together, these sales offer an intimate portrait of Hackman’s private world and a rare opportunity for collectors to engage with his creative life,’ she said. ‘Whether through the art, scripts, or personal objects, what emerges is more than a collection, it is a life lived with purpose, curiosity, and uncompromising vision.’

A Collector, Painter, and Storyteller

Hackman’s artistic journey began long before his retirement from film. He served on the board of the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum in Santa Fe, narrated a documentary about the painter, and became an advocate for contemporary art in the American Southwest.

After stepping away from acting in 2004 following Welcome to Mooseport, Hackman devoted more time to painting and writing. His passion for art ‘intensified’ during his later years, according to Bonhams, as he filled his home with works reflecting his taste for subtle emotion and modernist themes.

Hackman and his wife, classical musician Betsy Arakawa, who shared his love for art and music, both passed away in February 2025 at their Santa Fe home. The couple married in 1991 and maintained a quiet life away from Hollywood, surrounded by their shared creative pursuits.

A Final Curtain Call

‘The Gene Hackman Collection offers a rare window into the artistic mind of a profoundly disciplined and instinctive artist,’ Bonhams wrote in its announcement.

For fans and collectors alike, the upcoming auctions will celebrate Hackman’s cinematic legacy and his lasting connection to the world of art, a fitting tribute to a man who spent his life creating, collecting, and inspiring.