Jean-Michel Basquiat

Vrej Baghoomian Inc., New York
Galerie Alain Le Gaillard, Paris 
Acquired from the above by the present owner in 2000

This work is in very good condition overall. There is evidence of wear and handling along the edges most notably in the upper right and left corners and the sheet has discolored slightly with age. There is a faint vertical crease visible throughout the sheet approximately 7-inches from the right edge. Under very close inspection, a 1/8-inch tear approximately 6-inches up from the lower left corner is visible. Scattered creases and media accretions, all presumably from the time of execution and inherent to the artist's working method, are also visible. The sheet is hinged verso intermittently along the edges. Framed under glass.
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.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

“Cadillac Moon (1981), one of Basquiat’s first paintings, depicts a stack of television sets with a single face on each screen, two cars—one Cadillac in the upper left corner…Also included are numerous repetitions of the letter A, large and small, scattered across the right half of the canvas…he has written AARON, a name that appears frequently in works of this period. The AAAAA’s and Aaron refer to Hank Aaron, one of Basquiat’s heroes and a top member of his pantheon of 'Famous Black Athletes,' and the painting is an early instance of Basquiat’s frequent focus on black subjects, specifically athletes and musicians. Aaron, born Henry Louis Aaron in Mobile, Alabama, in 1934, is best known in baseball history for breaking Babe Ruth’s record of 715 home runs on April 8, 1974, and for setting eleven Major League and eighteen National League records.”

Richard D. Marshall, “Jean-Michel Basquiat: Speaking in Tongues,” in Exh. Cat., Villa Malpensata, Museo d'Arte Moderna della Città di Lugano, Jean-Michel Basquiat, 2005, p. 54