- Jean-Michel Basquiat (after), authorized giclée on watercolour paper (approx. 300gsm - refers to paper thickness/density). 2000s - Copyright Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, licensed by Artestar New York. McGaw Graphics, Inc. - Stamp on verso. - Size: 52,5 x 60 cm. - Condition: excellent. Never framed, never exposed. - Skull (1981) by the American artist Jean-Michel Basquiat is one of the most iconic images of Neo-Expressionism and a defining work of the artist’s meteoric rise in the New York art scene of the early 1980s. The painting presents a fragmented human head rendered in explosive color, combining anatomical references, graffiti-like marks, symbols and raw gestural brushwork. Basquiat’s skull imagery is neither purely anatomical nor purely symbolic; instead it exists between portrait and diagram, reflecting the artist’s fascination with identity, mortality and the complexity of the human mind. Emerging from the vibrant downtown culture of Manhattan, Basquiat first gained recognition through graffiti under the tag SAMO before rapidly entering the international art world. His work merges street art, African diasporic cultural references, jazz rhythms and art history into a powerful visual language. In Skull, the layered structure of the face with exposed teeth, skeletal forms and vivid colors creates an intense psychological presence that echoes both expressionist painting and urban visual culture. Basquiat’s artistic vocabulary drew inspiration from a wide range of sources, including the expressive distortions of Pablo Picasso, the raw energy of Francis Bacon and the graphic immediacy of street art. His rise coincided with a renewed interest in figurative painting during the 1980s, placing him alongside influential contemporaries such as Keith Haring. Basquiat also collaborated with pop art icon Andy Warhol, creating works that bridged the worlds of contemporary art, popular culture and the New York avant-garde. Today, Skull stands as a powerful emblem of Basquiat’s groundbreaking contribution to contemporary art. His work continues to shape the visual language of the twenty-first century and remains highly sought after by collectors worldwide. Basquiat’s legacy resonates across generations, admired alongside artists ranging from modern masters such as Henri Matisse and Wassily Kandinsky to contemporary cultural figures including Banksy and other artists working at the intersection of street culture and fine art.