As a graffiti artist, Jean-Michel Basquiat used the name Samo (a contraction of 'same old shit') plus the motif of a crown and a copyright symbol. He was the king of New York’s graffiti scene and then created a furore in the art world. In this painting, the crown surmounts two skulls. That Basquiat was already concerned with the dangers of success in 1982 is evident from the text on another painting: ‘most young kings get their head cut off’., Basquiat was initially active in New York’s graffiti scene, but around the age of twenty he found success in the world of contemporary art. His canvases are filled with colourful letters and hieroglyph-like signs. One recurring and highly personal motif is a skull with a crown and the copyright symbol, emblematic of his rapid fame that would prove fatal: he died of a heroin overdose at the age of twenty-seven.
Specifications
| Title | Kings of Egypt II |
|---|---|
| Material and technique | Oil on canvas |
| Object type |
Painting
> Painting
> Two-dimensional object
> Art object
|
| Location | Kunsthal Rotterdam |
| Dimensions |
Height 183.5 cm Width 183.5 cm Depth 4 cm |
|---|---|
| Artists |
Kunstenaar:
Jean-Michel Basquiat
|
| Accession number | 3686 (MK) |
| Credits | Bruikleen / Loan: Stichting Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Schenking / Donation: Hans Sonnenberg 2012 |
| Department | Modern Art |
| Acquisition date | 2012 |
| Age artist | About 22 years old |
| Collector | Collector / Hans Sonnenberg |
| Exhibitions |
Meneer Delta, een galeriehouder en verzamelaar in het museum (2012) De collectie als tijdmachine (2017) |
| External exhibitions |
Basquiat - The Artist and his New York Scene (2019) Boijmans bij de Buren - Meesterlijk! (2019) |
| Material | |
| Object |
All about the artist
Jean-Michel Basquiat
New York 1960 - New York 1988
Jean Michel Basquiat's mother was Puerto Rican and his father was of Haitian descent. In 1977, Basquiat began spraying graffiti on the walls of Manhattan, where...
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