Sotheby’s recently unveiled a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting titled Versus Medici to be put on auction and sold this coming May. Basquiat challenged the powerful Italian Renaissance masters of art and crowned himself as the successor in this self-portrait. He also challenged race, inclusion, and representation in the art world with this painting by establishing himself as one of the masters. It represents much of his art history knowledge and time spent in Italy, seen in the three panels similar to that of the triptychs, as well as the anatomical features like those done by Leonardo da Vinci. The painting is estimated to be sold at $35 to $50 million.
The announcement of this work being put up for auction comes just after another work by Basquiat was auctioned. His Warriors just recently sold in Hong Kong and most importantly set a record for the highest-priced western painting sold in Asia at $41.9 million. Fun fact, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s highest sold painting, Untitled sold at a shocking $110.5 million back in 2017 (much higher than the estimated $60 million it was thought to be sold at).
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Warriors 
Jean-Michel Basquiat, Untitled
I’m definitely going to have to keep an eye on this one!
Images from Sotheby’s and Christie’s
