Acrylic on canvas. Featuring neo-expressionist style. Signed and attr. Jean-Michel Basquiat. 23.6 x 19.7 in. (60 x 50 cm). A poet, musician, and graffiti prodigy in late-1970s New York, Jean-Michel Basquiat had honed his signature painting style of obsessive scribbling, elusive symbols and diagrams, and mask-and-skull imagery by the time he was 20. "I don’t think about art while I work," he once said. "I think about life." Basquiat drew his subjects from his own Caribbean heritage - his father was Haitian and his mother of Puerto Rican descent - and a convergence of African-American, African, and Aztec cultural histories with Classical themes and contemporary heroes like athletes and musicians. Often associated with Neo-expressionism, Basquiat received massive acclaim in only a few short years, showing alongside artists like Julian Schnabel, David Salle, and Francesco Clemente. In 1983, he met Andy Warhol, who would come to be a mentor and idol. The two collaborated on a series of paintings before Warhol’s death in 1987, followed by Basquiat’s own untimely passing a year later. PROVENANCE: Private Collection (Vienna, Austria)

All lots that do not carry established documented provenance nor any past record of auction history record are described in the catalog as attributed.

All authorship of items in this catalog are described according to the following terms:

By [Artist Name]: In our opinion, the work is by the artist.

Attributed to [Artist Name]: In our opinion, the work may be ascribed to the artist on the basis of style, but there may be some question as to actual authorship.

In the manner of [Artist Name]: In our opinion, the work was executed by an unknown hand, but was designed deliberately to emulate the style of the artist.

After [Artist Name]: In our opinion, the work was executed by an unknown hand, but is a deliberate copy of a known work by the artist.

Circle of [Artist Name]: In our opinion, a work of the period of the artist showing his influence, closely associated with the artist but not necessarily his pupil.

Follower of [Artist Name]: In our opinion, a work by a pupil or a follower of the artist (not necessarily a pupil).

American, 19th century: In our opinion, this work was executed by an unknown hand, and can only be identified by origin (i.e., region, period).

Bears signature: In our opinion, the signature on the artwork may be spurious.

Apocryphal: Of doubtful authenticity.