Roman and Daria wow Basel Art Fair

Proof that Roman Abramovich is a little more interested in contemporary art than in Chelsea Football Club these days – he is still trying to find someone to agree to take on the manager's job – was on offer at the Basel Art Fair yesterday, where the Russian tycoon was seen wandering from stand to stand eyeing up paintings and sculptures in the way he once did centre forwards and full backs.

He was attending the Swiss art fair for the first time, along with his beautiful girlfriend, Daria 'Dasha' Zhukova (pictured). In fact, it was said to be the couple’s first appearance at any art fair, and came less than a month after Abramovich spent $120m at the spring New York auctions on a Francis Bacon and a Lucian Freud. Until now he has only been known to buy at auction.

The Russian seemed particularly taken with a trio of Alberto Giacometti bronzes. The largest of the three, Femme de Venise I 1956, was priced at $14m, while the smaller Femme Debout was a snip at $8m. He is believed to be “seriously considering” a purchase, according to one excited source.

As reported in The First Post, Zhukova, who was offering advice to Abramovich as well as attracting the stares of every (non gay) dealer at the fair, plans to open the Center for Contemporary Culture Moscow in September.