Jean-Michel Basquiat

Private Collection (acquired directly from the artist)
Sale: Philips de Pury & Co., London, Contemporary Art, 12 May 2006, Lot 151
Van de Weghe Fine Art, New York
Acquired directly from the above by the present owner

Colour: The colours in the catalogue illustration are fairly accurate, although the overall tonality is warmer in the original. Condition: This work is in very good condition. The sheet is attached to the backing mount in places on the reverse. The top and left edges are deckled and the sheet undulates slightly. There is an artist's pin hole in the top left corner. All handling marks, creases and media accretions are likely to be original to the work's execution and artist’s working method.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

"The human body seems to be at the heart of Basquiat's entire process. Now reduced to a simple anatomical structure, now present in the grimacing skull, evoking a medieval form of the macabre, Basquiat translates an interiority that shows on the surface of the nerves, bones, blood... The body became the vocabulary for the permanent intensity that ran through him."

Dina Vierny cited in: Exhibition Catalogue, Paris, Fondation Dina Vierny-Musée Maillol, Jean Michel Basquiat, 2003, p.15