In This Case by Jean Michel Basquiat sold for $93,105,000 at Christie’s inaugural livestreamed 20th/21st century sale in New York overnight. The 21st Century Evening sale totalled $210,471,500 and saw records set for 11 artists, including Rashid Johnson, Larva Labs, Nina Chanel Abney.
In a bidding battle with six international bidders, auctioneer Gemma Sudlow hammered down the Basquiat for $93,105,000. In This Case is one of only three monumentally sized skull paintings executed by the artist during his relatively short career. Depictions of human anatomy are prevalent throughout the Basquiat’s oeuvre but no subject is more powerful or sought after than the skull.