Christie’s will offer a Jean-Michel Basquiat painting titled “Baby Boom” at its 21st Century Evening Sale on May 14 in New York. The work is estimated to sell for $20 million to $30 million. Painted in 1982, the roughly 4-by-7-foot canvas is a triple portrait believed to depict the artist with his parents, Gerard and Matilda.
The figures are adorned with halo-like crowns. Isabella Lauria, head of the 21st-century Evening Sale, said, “‘Baby Boom’ is Basquiat’s contemplation of family lineage, royalty, and spirituality. We are thrilled to showcase it as the lead highlight of the 21st Century Evening Sale this spring.”
The year 1982 was pivotal in Basquiat’s career, described as his annus mirabilis.
He created seven of his top 10 priced artworks that year, solidifying his place as a leading figure in the New York art scene.
Basquiat’s pivotal year continues
Basquiat debuted “Baby Boom” at his famous solo exhibition at Fun Gallery in Manhattan in 1982.
Since then, the painting has been featured in some of the most important Basquiat retrospectives. The painting’s title references the generation of rising birthrates after World War II, with Basquiat himself being born in 1960, near the end of the Baby Boom generation. Basquiat died in 1988 at age 27.
The significance of 1982 in Basquiat’s career was highlighted by the record-breaking sales of his works from that year. One such painting, “Untitled (ELMAR),” sold for $46.6 million in New York. Another untitled 1982 painting, depicting a face in the shape of a skull, fetched $110.5 million in 2017, setting a new auction record for both Basquiat and any American artist at the time.
“Baby Boom” is expected to draw significant attention at the upcoming auction, potentially adding another milestone to Basquiat’s already impressive legacy.
