Yves Saint Laurent's art collection for sale

Image via telegraph.co.uk

Yves Saint Laurent's art collection will be put on sale in Paris next year, and could be the biggest sale of privately owned art in history.

It features works of art by the masters, such as Picasso, Matisse and Mondrian, and is estimated to sell at €300 million ($447 million CAD).

It is said that Saint Laurent needed art "like water to survive." The collection was accumulated over a period of 40 years with Pierre Bergé, his long-term companion and business partner.

Bergé says the decision to sell the collection was made before Saint Laurent's death.

The proceeds will go towards a foundation Bergé intends to set up dedicated to the fight against Aids.