Provenance
Galleria Mazzoli, Modena
Annina Nosei Gallery, New York
Francesco Pellizzi, New York (acquired from the above in 1983)
Thence by descent to the present owner

Auction History
Phillips New-York: 14 May 2024
Estimated: USD 6,500,000 – 8,500,000
USD 7,892,500

Jean-Michel Basquiat – Modern & Contempor… Lot 6 May 2024 | Phillips

 

In Untitled (Portrait of Famous Ballplayer), Jean-Michel Basquiat delves into “America’s Favorite Pastime,” juxtaposing symbols of the quintessentially all-American sport with his depiction of a central Black figure, as well as his iconic text and crown motifs. Created during a transformative period for Basquiat, marked by his increasing visibility in the art world, this painting epitomizes the essential traits of his early canvases; it blends the immediacy and gestural freedom of graffiti writing with fine art traditions to explore themes of race, selfhood, and national identity through the lens of the artist’s signature iconography. The work was showcased in historic exhibitions such as Annina Nosei’s Jean-Michel Basquiat Memorial Exhibition, which opened in December 1988 shortly after the artist’s passing and coinciding with what would have been his 28th birthday. Untitled (Portrait of Famous Ballplayer) was formerly in the collection of the renowned historian and collector Francesco Pellizzi, who acquired it in the early 1980s directly from Nosei, Basquiat’s primary dealer at the time. Having remained in the same collection for decades, this significant work will now be offered publicly for the first time.

Jean-Michel Basquiat Wearing an American Football Helmet, 1981 by Edo Bertoglio. Image: © Edo Bertoglio, Courtesy of Maripol, Artwork: © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York

One of Basquiat’s earliest and only paintings to feature the culturally loaded phrase “Famous Negro Athletes” (with “Negro Athletes” notably crossed out), Untitled (Portrait of Famous Ballplayer) serves as a potent commentary on race, identity, and representation. It also reflects Basquiat’s own experience as a Black artist navigating a predominantly white art world. Through the intentional crossing out of text, Basquiat underscores the theme of exclusion while drawing attention to the obscured words beneath. Basquiat’s use of written language, both legible and obfuscated, serves as a reflection of his inner dialogue and becomes a vehicle for conveying multiple layers of meaning. Through this juxtaposition of words and imagery, Basquiat engages viewers in a complex interplay of language, identity, and societal critique, inviting interpretation and challenging traditional notions of communication and expression. In Untitled (Portrait of Famous Ballplayer), Basquiat inscribes one of his soon-to-be-signature slogans—”FAMOUS NEGRO ATHLETES”—yet, while the word “FAMOUS” remains legible, the rest of the expression is intentionally concealed by a thick stripe of black spray paint. The act of crossing out text underscores the theme of exclusion, paradoxically drawing attention to the words beneath while suggesting their suppression.

Jean-Michel Basquiat, Famous Negro Athletes, 1981. Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven, Connecticut. Formerly in the collection of Glenn O’Brien. Image: Yale University Art Gallery, Gift of Nelly Bly, B.A. 1994 and Michael Arougheti, B.A. 1993, Artwork: © Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat. Licensed by Artestar, New York

Basquiat’s inclusion of his signature crown motif above the floating heads and oversized baseballs in Untitled (Portrait of Famous Ballplayer) speaks to the majesty of these groundbreaking athletes as kings of their craft. Simultaneously, he reveals his admiration for the lone figure, the unsung hero at the center, whose crown is notably absent. In its place, Basquiat renders the head of his “FAMOUS NEGRO ATHLETE” in metallic gold, visually asserting the subject’s divinity and enduring significance, while evoking the grandeur of Byzantine icons portraying saints and religious figures adorned in gold leaf. In religious icons of Christian art history, gold was frequently used to symbolize transcendent, divine light embodying the invisible, spiritual world, and could be found in the background of icons, mosaics, panel paintings, and architectural settings. Basquiat plays with this visual history, using gold in the present work not only to pay homage to the athlete’s unparalleled skill but also to suggest a spiritual reverence for their contribution to the cultural landscape, where great human achievements are still most often rewarded with gold, in the form of gold statues and other decorations, and sportsmen are usually awarded gold medals or trophies to signify their victories.

 

Icon of the archangel Michael, Constantinople, first half of 14th century. Byzantine and Christian Museum, Athens.
Image: The History Collection / Alamy Stock Photo 

Moreover, by choosing not to name a specific “Ballplayer”, Basquiat elevates them to the status of a symbol, an archetype rather than an individual. Echoing Andy Warhol’s iconic Gold Marilyn Monroe from 1962, in Untitled (Portrait of Famous Ballplayer), Basquiat further underscores the transformative power of celebrity and the intersection between art and popular culture. Through these symbolic elements, Basquiat invites viewers to contemplate the intersection of fame, race, and iconography, challenging conventional notions of heroism and idolization. Basquiat ennobled his heroes, using his crowns like the royal titles that famous African American musicians have sometimes adopted or the nicknames of sporting greats—such as Duke Ellington or Muhammed Ali, interchangeably known as “The Greatest,” “The Louisville Lip,” and “The Champ”—to create a court including renowned jazz musicians and celebrated athletes. In Untitled (Portrait of Famous Ballplayer), he establishes himself in that pantheon of Black heroes, employing his distinctive crowns as symbols of his induction and investiture into the overarching storyline of art history. Basquiat’s inclusion of baseball imagery reflects both his racial heritage as a Puerto Rican/Haitian American and the duality of exploitation and aspiration, mirroring his own ascendancy within the predominantly white art establishment, akin to the extraordinary success of these athletes.

 

[Left] Willie Mays with the New York Mets, c. 1972-73. Image: National Baseball Hall of Fame Library
[Right] Willie Mays, New York Mets Collectible Card, 1973. Image: Q20 / Alamy Stock Photo  

In Untitled (Portrait of Famous Ballplayer), Basquiat invites viewers to determine the identity of the protagonist. Could this ‘Famous Ballplayer’ be Jackie Robinson, the pioneering Black baseball player who broke the color barrier in the American major leagues during the 20th century? Basquiat saw in Jackie Robinson a resilient hero and an enduring symbol of self-made success, triumphing over the pervasive racial prejudices of the 1950s. Alternatively, it could be Hank Aaron, the inaugural figure in Basquiat’s pantheon of revered Black dignitaries. A childhood hero to Basquiat, renowned for his achievements rivaling those of Babe Ruth, Hank Aaron’s influence is palpable throughout Basquiat’s earliest works. Or perhaps, the enigmatic figure is Willie Mays, the legendary outfielder whose sensational over-the-shoulder catch—famously known as “The Catch” and considered by many to be one of the greatest defensive plays in history—during the 1954 World Series remains one of baseball’s most iconic moments.