June 2, 2006 – These days, when a work of art sells for an astounding price, the chances are the buyer is Steve Wynn, billionaire Las Vegas casino owner, Buddhist son of a bingo hall operator, grandson of a vaudeville artist – the man who started out looking for a pretty Renoir for a hotel lobby and who now owns a museum-quality gallery.
In the past eight weeks he is believed to have spent at least £30m at auction: a world record £5.5m for a 14th century Ming vase in Hong Kong on Tuesday night, and almost certainly the world record for a Turner in April, more than £19m for a sparkling view of the Grand Canal in Venice.
