108 x 152.4 cm
Basquiat, from his early days in street art to achieving gallery stardom, illuminated a path for his contemporaries in a career that, though brief, was exceptionally brilliant. Spanning just a decade, his impact shattered conventional norms, delved into social issues and created opportunities for future artists. While Basquiat initially released only a limited selection of prints during his lifetime, the Estate, now managed by the artist's sisters, has since unveiled additional prints.
In his prolific career, Basquiat produced around 1,000 paintings and 3,000 works on paper. The print market predominantly focuses on pieces from 1981-84, either released during those years or as posthumous releases of paintings from that period. Thematically, these prints can be categorized into three main areas: early street art, anatomy and heads, and heroic figures.
Starting with the graffiti tag SAMO alongside his friend Al Diaz, Basquiat's early works were often street murals on various surfaces. As a self-taught artist, his print Jawbone Of An Ass from 2004 showcases a complex interplay of color and detail across different mediums like acrylics, oil sticks, and paper collages. Another print, Flexible, released in 2016, originates from a 1984 painting on a wooden panel.
Basquiat's fascination with human anatomy began in his youth when he received Gray's Anatomy during his recovery from an accident. This interest manifested in prints like the Anatomy series, featuring 18 screen prints displaying various bones and body parts.
In the early 1980s, as Basquiat gained success and fame, he continued experimenting within his established style, incorporating recurring symbols such as skulls and crowns.
The market for his work has steadily grown over the past two decades, with the current value of Basquiat's prints and multiples reaching historic highs. His monumental hand-colored print, Back Of The Neck, made in 1983, as an edition of 24, sold for over $1,100,000 USD in November 2023.
Typically, prints released during Basquiat's life have smaller edition sizes, making them more coveted than posthumous releases with larger editions. Despite not providing certificates of authenticity during his lifetime, Basquiat signed and numbered each print in pencil. Posthumous prints from the Basquiat estate are signed by a family member, such as Gerard Basquiat or one of his sisters.
The majority of the market revolves around Basquiat Estate prints due to their authentication and higher-quality paper, Saunders watercolor paper, which preserves the vibrant inks and ensures durability over time. In 2019, Portfolio i, showcasing some of Basquiat's most noteworthy images such as untitled head, per capita, ernok and Rinso set a record at auction with a sale price of $500,000 USD. recently, the Superhero Portfolio, featuring iconic depictions of characters like Batman, Robin, and The Riddler, sold for $265,000 USD at auction, marking a nearly 35% increase from its original release price in 2022.
