Untitled (1982 Basquiat devil painting)

Untitled is a painting created by American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat in 1982. The artwork was sold at Christie's for $57.3 million in May 2016. At the time, that was the record for Basquiat's most expensive painting.[1] In 2022, it was sold for $85 million at Phillips,[2] becoming Basquiat's third highest auction sale and fourth most expensive painting.

For other untitled paintings by Basquiat from 1982, see List of paintings by Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Untitled
ArtistJean-Michel Basquiat
Year1982
MediumAcrylic on canvas
MovementNeo-expressionism
Dimensions240 cm × 500 cm (94 in × 197 in)

History

Untitled was executed by Jean-Michel Basquiat in Modena, Italy in 1982, which is considered his most valuable year.[3] A majority of the highest-selling Basquiat paintings at auction date to 1982. That year he also became the youngest artist ever invited to participate in Documenta in Kassel, Germany. Basquiat had initially been invited to Modena in 1981 by art dealer Emilio Mazzoli, for his first one-man show at Galleria d'Arte Emilio Mazzoli, after he had seen Basquiat's work at the New York/New Wave February 1981 show at New York's MoMA PS1.[4] Basquiat returned to Modena in March 1982, and during this trip he created a series of paintings; Untitled being the largest at over sixteen feet wide and almost eight feet tall.[5]

The artwork has often been identified as a self-portrait depicting Basquiat as a devil.[5] It is dominated by sporadic brushwork and an array of vivid colors overlapping a fiery black devil at its center. The painting was a part of the collection art dealer Adam Lindemann and his wife, art dealer Amalia Dayan in New York. Lindemann purchased the painting for $4.5 million at the Sotheby's contemporary art evening sale in London in June 2004.[6] It was sold to Japanese businessman and art collector Yusaku Maezawa for $57.3 million at Christie's post-war and contemporary art evening auction in May 2016. It was the most expensive Basquiat painting sold at auction until Maezawa purchased Untitled (1982) for $110.5 million at Sotheby's in May 2017.[7] In May 2022, Maezawa sold the painting for $85 million at Phillips' 20th Century & Contemporary Art Evening Sale in New York.[2]

Exhibitions

Untitled has been exhibited at major art institutions worldwide, which include:

See also

References
  1. Martinez, Alanna (May 11, 2016). "$57M Basquiat Breaks Auction Record at Christie's". Observer. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  2. Porterfield, Carlie (May 18, 2022). "Billionaire Yusaku Maezawa Sells Basquiat Painting For $85 Million As Market For Artist's Work Heats Up". Forbes. Retrieved 2022-05-19.
  3. Gotthardt, Alexxa (April 1, 2018). "What Makes 1982 Basquiat's Most Valuable Year". Artsy. Retrieved 2020-09-26.
  4. Kane, Ashleigh (January 26, 2018). "The New York curator who helped launch Basquiat's career". Dazed. Retrieved 2020-10-03.
  5. "Epic Basquiat to lead Post-war and Contemporary sale in New York". Christie's. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  6. Freeman, Nate (April 13, 2016). "A Basquiat From the Collection of Adam Lindemann Could Break $48.8 M. Artist Record at Christie's". ARTnews.com. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  7. Pogrebin, Robin; Reyburn, Scott (2017-05-18). "A Basquiat Sells for 'Mind-Blowing' $110.5 Million at Auction". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  8. "Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988), Untitled". Christie's. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  9. "Jean-Michel Basquiat at Fondation Beyeler". www.artforum.com. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
  10. "Basquiat". Musée d’Art Moderne de Paris. Retrieved 2020-09-29.
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