Johnny Depp makes over $3.6m after debut art collection sells out in hours

Johnny Depp is making millions from his artwork. The 59-year-old actor earned over $3.6 million after releasing 780 prints through the Castle Fine Art gallery in London, which sold out “almost immediately” after being made available for sale on Thursday, The Sunday-Times reported.

The “Friends & Heroes” collection, his first formal foray, features four portraits of Bob Dylan, Elizabeth Taylor, Al Pacino and Keith Richards, sold both individually and as a set. According to the gallery, Depp focused on “people he has known well, and who have inspired him as a person.”

“Each image is an intimate reflection of their character in Johnny’s eyes; a portrayal of how they have revealed themselves to him,” Castle Fine Art said of the pop-meets-street art. “From his dear friend Keith Richards, who inspired the mannerisms of the infamous Captain Jack Sparrow, to Bob Dylan, whose creative influence on the artist is seen in his vivid and immortal portrayal by Johnny.”

Each limited edition portrait is listed online for $3,973, with the set of four on sale for $15,040.

“I’ve always used art to express my feelings, and to reflect on those who matter most to me, like my family, friends and people I admire,” Depp said in a statement shared by the gallery. “My paintings surround my life, but I kept them to myself and limited myself. No one should ever limit themselves.”

Ahead of the Thursday release, the gallery posted a behind-the-scenes photo to Instagram of Depp at work, painting in the studio. The same day, the Pirates of the Caribbean star shared a snap of himself posing with the four-part set, framed and hung on a wall.

Fans clamored for the collection, and “this world-first release proved to be our fastest-selling collection to date, selling out in just hours,” Castle Fine Art said.

The gallery did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.

The sale comes weeks after his ex-wife, Amber Heard, had her request for a mistrial denied by the judge, who ruled that the verdict in their Virginia defamation trial still stands. On June 1, the verdict was handed down from the seven-person jury, siding mostly with Depp and awarding him over $10 million in damages. Heard, 36, was awarded $2 million for one of her defamation countersuit claims. A week after a judge denied the actress’ mistrial request Heard filed a notice of appeal with the Virginia Court of Appeals on July 21 with Depp filing his own notice of appeal the following day, seeking to overturn the $2 million verdict in Heard’s countersuit.