Inside a UAE's private art collection, valued at $3.3 billion with three Fridah Kahlos

In the heart of Dubai, a private art collection valued at $3.3 billion resides within a villa on Jumeirah Road. The collection is owned by Sheikha Somayeh Noor, its founder and chairwoman, who has been collecting for nearly two decades. The Noor Royal Collection features works from renowned artists such as Pablo Picasso, Francis Bacon, and Frida Kahlo, among others.

Picasso's presence is felt with several of his pieces, including the ink on cardboard "The Bull" and the mixed media canvas "Heritage." Francis Bacon's works, "The Bull" and "Heritage," are also part of the collection. The gallery showcases a bronze dancer by Edgar Degas, which features a mirror beneath its flat surface, allowing visitors to witness the dancer's movements.

A standout piece is a Rubies sculpture of Fatima al-Fihri, the founder of the oldest continuously operating university in the world, created by a Brazilian artist. The frame itself is considered original, as it was designed by the artist. The collection also includes a Parisian landscape attributed to Camille Pissarro, painted in 1890. Pissarro, who lost his sight by then, painted it from memory, likened to Beethoven composing while deaf.

Other notable works include a Matisse sculpture, a De Chirico, a Botero piece, and an ink work on lambskin dating back to the late 15th century. The collection also includes Islamic manuscripts and illuminated Qurans, with a Quran made of gold and one of the oldest, smallest, and longest Qurans in the world. Additionally, Muhammad Ali's personal collection, including his gemstones, fingerprint set in lapis lazuli, and the suit he wore at one of his weddings, are part of the gallery's holdings.