Scheduled to be sold at next month’s Christie’s Hong Kong sales event, Warrior, a grand work by Jean-Michel Basquiat, is set to become the most expensive piece of Western artwork to be auctioned in Asia.
The piece is expected to be sold between $31 million and $41 million, and even if the painting reaches the lower range of the estimate, it will be amongst the top 10 Basquiat paintings to ever auction. The most recent Basquiat painting, Flesh and Spirit (1982) sold for $30.7 million at Sotheby’s in 2018.
Christie’s international director of postwar and contemporary art, Cristian Albu, calls the painting “simply a masterpiece.” Warrior is an acrylic, oilstick and spray paint on wood panel. The painting, which features the signature Basquiat skull-like head was initially purchased the piece at Sotheby’s London in 2012 for $8.7 million. If Warrior sells within the estimated range, the painting would have drastically increased.
The Basquiat will go on sale at Christie’s Hong Kong on March 23 during a single-lot sale titled, We Are All Warriors.
Check out Christie’s for more information.