Anatomy, Head Of The Mandible
Anatomy, Head Of The Mandible
Signed Print
Jean-Michel Basquiat
£19,000-£29,000Value Indicator
$40,000-$60,000 Value Indicator
$35,000-$50,000 Value Indicator
¥180,000-¥270,000 Value Indicator
€23,000-€35,000 Value Indicator
$190,000-$290,000 Value Indicator
¥3,690,000-¥5,630,000 Value Indicator
$25,000-$40,000 Value Indicator
AAGR (5 years) This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
There aren't enough data points on this work for a comprehensive result. Please speak to a specialist by making an enquiry.
Screen print, 1982, on Arches 88. Signed and numbered in an edition of 18. S. 76.5 x 56.5 cm (30 1/8 x 22¼ in.).
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Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Location | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 2024 | Christie's New York | United States | |||
| October 2021 | Christie's New York | United States | |||
| May 2019 | Swann Galleries | United States | |||
| May 2018 | Artcurial | France | |||
| January 2018 | Phillips London | United Kingdom |
Meaning & Analysis
In this image Basquiat turns his eye towards the largest bone of the skull: the mandible. The sketch is concentrated near the centre of the image, with a single label indicating the ‘head of the mandible’. The depiction of the joint bears great similarity to the copyright sign, which can be seen throughout Basquiat’s oeuvre. Even in the midst of the sombre and strictly observational character of the Anatomy prints, fragments of the artist’s loud, frenetic canvases can be found. Moreover, the incorporation of the copyright sign into the anatomical sketch taps into the themes of commodification under capitalism and its interaction with oppressed identities.
On the copyright sign in Basquiat’s work, Rene Ricard remarks: “Far more ambiguous than the crown is the copyright sign, which in its direct function touches upon ownership and the valuation thereof. Painted on the walls of other people’s buildings, it not only demonstrated SAMO’s authorship but generally questioned the idea of legality itself, like all sprayed tags turning anonymity into an open profession and claiming a formal legal protection for an activity that in reality remained illegal.”
