A man who learned to appreciate art from the actor Charles Laughton is donating 50 works to LACMA after his death. Former Univision owner Jerry Perenchio tried to donate anonymously yesterday:

At his Bel-Air home Wednesday, the 83-year-old Perenchio said that he will be giving almost all of it — at least 47 works valued at $500 million — to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.

“L.A. is my home, and I wanted to leave it to a museum here,” he said. […]

reporters — and once fired a subordinate executive who did. His collection of business aphorisms, or Rules of the Road, began with this one: “Steer clear of the press. No interviews, no speeches, no panels. … Stay out of the spotlight. It fades your suit.”

In the interview at his home, where the walls are adorned with many of the works he will be donating, Perenchio said he was now changing course because he wants to focus attention on LACMA’s campaign to build a new museum to replace four deteroriating structures built in the 1960s and 1980s.

Most of his donations over the years, he added, were done anonymously.

“I never put my name on anything,” he said. “In this case, I’ve decided that it’s worth a temporary step into the spotlight and to encourage other collectors to give to LACMA and support the fundraising.”

Major LACMA art donation will add dimension to museum’s collections   (LA Times)