American businessman Spencer Hays and his wife Marlene have donated their exceptional 600-piece collection of French art dating from the late 19th to early 20th century -- worth $281 million -- to Musée d’Orsay in Paris. The Hayses, both 80, have been married for 60 years and collecting art since the 1970s. They reside in Nashville and New York. 

On Saturday evening, the couple was in Paris for an official ceremony as an initial gift was transferred, including 187 works by the likes of Edgar Degas and Amedeo Modigliani. 

"Your act, your donation, honours the French Republic," said President Francois Hollande who was present at the Elysée presidential palace when the couple received the distinction of Chevalier de la Legion d'Honneur (Knight of the Legion of Honour),  one of the country's highest honors.

“This donation, which is exceptional for its size and coherence, is the largest a French museum has received from a foreign donor since 1945,” French Culture Minister Audrey Azoulay said on Friday.

The museum will relocate its library and archives to make room for the Hays collection.

"When Marlene and I grew up in a little town in Gainesville, Texas, even visiting France was far beyond our great expectations. But in 1971 we made our first trip to Paris, and our love affair with this wonderful country began," Spencer Hays said on Saturday.

"After our death, our collection will be gifted to the French people for the benefit of art lovers around the world. But, even more important to us, this collection is our legacy," he added.