When the art collector Charles Saatchi wants something, he knows how to set about getting it. Gallerists and curators are full of stories about the way he walks into an exhibition, fixes on the single best work of art on show and rushes toward it — in the words of one acquaintance, "like a heat-seeking missile." Those who have seen him in action say that when he likes a piece of art, he will do everything he can to have it for himself. For Saatchi, worth a rumored £135 million, the price is irrelevant.

"He doesn't care whether it's worth £100 or £100 million," says a friend. "It's all about the impact of the work when it is in front of him. When he wants something, he will pay on the day for it.

"More than that, he will have a truck waiting outside the door. It's a kid in a sweet shop and he just wants it now."