Daros Suite
5 works
Jean-Michel Basquiat Male Pelvis, Front View, from Anatomy For Sale
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Male Pelvis, Front View, from Anatomy, 1982
Screen print
30 x 22 1/4 in 76.2 x 56.5 cm
Edition
Edition of 18 plus 7 AP numbered in Roman Numerals
About this work
In 1982, Basquiat released Anatomy, his inaugural print series comprising 18 silkscreen prints, each produced in editions of 18. Set against a solid black background are Basquiat's white anatomical sketches, individually spotlighting various segments of the human body.The print's clinical demeanor and minimal composition starkly contrast with the prevailing perception of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s vibrant and chaotic graffiti-inspired artworks. The simplistic portrayal of bodily elements accentuates the artist’s proclamation: “I want to create paintings that appear childlike.”While Basquiat annotates each depicted body part in this x-ray-esque depiction, subtle indications of omissions and errant strokes surface, such as the absence of an ‘a’ in ‘phalanges’ and a stray line adjacent to the 'radius' annotation. These instances hint at the lexical experimentation and textual disruption prevalent in Basquiat’s larger canvases.
Price on Application
Auction History
· Jean-Michel Basquiat · Sotheby's · 2014-11 · $3,917,000
More from this series
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Anterior View, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Female Pelvis, Back View, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Femur, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Great Wind of Sphenoid, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Head Of Mandible, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Lateral View, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Left Side of Lower Jaw, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Ligaments Of The Elbow, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Posterior View, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Ramus of Mandible, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Right Clavicle, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Right Humerus, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
The Scapula, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Three Different Conditions of Biceps Muscle, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Three Views of The Shoulder Joint Opened, from Anatomy
1982
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Thyroid, from Anatomy
1982
More series by Jean-Michel Basquiat
About the Anatomy Series
Basquiat Anatomy Series (1982)
Jean-Michel Basquiat's Anatomy series represents a pivotal moment in the artist's brief but incendiary career, created during the extraordinarily productive year of 1982 when he transitioned from downtown phenomenon to international art world force. This suite of screenprints—including Thyroid, The Scapula, Great Wind of Sphenoid, Three Views of The Shoulder Joint Opened, and Female Pelvis, Back View—demonstrates Basquiat's sophisticated engagement with medical illustration, textual fragmentation, and the corporeal politics that would define his most important canvases. Unlike his large-scale paintings, these works on paper reveal a disciplined focus on seriality and anatomical obsession, combining neo-expressionist urgency with the precision of Gray's Anatomy and Leonardo's Renaissance studies.
The technical approach Basquiat employed in the Anatomy portfolio showcases his mastery of line, text, and graphic composition—elements that translate powerfully to the screenprint medium. Each work layers skeletal structures with his characteristic word-scrawl and gestural mark-making, creating a visual language that is simultaneously scientific and deeply personal. The series reflects Basquiat's preoccupation with the body as both biological specimen and site of racial identity, exploring themes of vulnerability, medicalization, and the historical objectification of Black bodies within Western science. This intellectual rigor, combined with his raw aesthetic power, positions the Anatomy works as essential documents of his conceptual ambitions beyond the canvas.
From a market perspective, the Anatomy series has demonstrated remarkable strength and consistent appreciation over the past decade, with complete or partial portfolios achieving significant results at major auction houses and attracting institutional attention. Works on paper from Basquiat's peak period (1981-1983) have become increasingly sought-after by sophisticated collectors who recognize their accessibility relative to paintings while maintaining profound art historical importance. The limited edition nature of these screenprints, combined with Basquiat's tragic early death in 1988, ensures perpetual scarcity in a market with exponentially growing demand.
Guy Hepner has established itself as a leading authority in post-war and contemporary prints, with particular expertise in Basquiat's graphic works. Our deep market knowledge, authentication resources, and collector relationships position us as the trusted source for acquiring museum-quality examples from the Anatomy series and broader Basquiat oeuvre.
About Jean-Michel Basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat prints for sale at Guy Hepner include works from the Estate editions: Portfolio I, Portfolio II, the Anatomy series, Daros Suite, Superhero Portfolio, and Figures Portfolio. Basquiat original art for sale and Basquiat paintings for sale through our New York gallery are authenticated with full Estate provenance and catalogue documentation.
Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960–1988) remains one of the most powerful and sought-after artists in the history of contemporary art. A self-taught Neo-Expressionist who rose from the streets of Brooklyn to the highest echelons of the international art world, Basquiat's work commands extraordinary prices at auction and continues to attract serious collectors worldwide.
Jean-Michel Basquiat Paintings For Sale
Basquiat paintings for sale represent some of the most coveted works on the secondary market. His large-scale canvases — raw, urgent, and densely layered with text, symbols, and anatomical imagery — sell for tens of millions of dollars at the world's leading auction houses. The benchmark for Basquiat original art was set in May 2017 when Untitled (1982), depicting a skull-like head in yellow, red, and black, sold for $110.5 million at Sotheby's New York, making it the sixth-highest price ever achieved for an American artist at that time.
At Guy Hepner, Basquiat art for sale includes a curated selection of works on paper, rare prints, and portfolios from The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
Basquiat Prints For Sale
Basquiat prints represent a more accessible entry point for collectors who want to buy Basquiat without competing at major auction. His limited-edition screenprints and lithographs — produced in collaboration with publishers during his lifetime and authorised posthumously by The Estate — retain strong value and are actively traded on the secondary market.
Among the most collected Basquiat print series available at Guy Hepner:
- Daros Suite — a landmark body of works on paper that documented Basquiat's mature Neo-Expressionist language
- Anatomy series — visceral explorations of the Black body, medicine, and power
- Portfolio I & II — seminal print portfolios featuring signature motifs including crowns, SAMO© tags, and anatomical diagrams
- Superhero Portfolio — bold, iconic images that recast Black figures as mythological heroes
- Figures Portfolio — expressive figure studies that trace Basquiat's gestural line from street art to fine art
- 50 Cent Piece — a graphic, politically charged print emblematic of Basquiat's engagement with race, value, and American currency
Basquiat: What to Collect
For new collectors approaching Basquiat art for sale, prints and works on paper offer the strongest combination of accessibility and long-term value. Auction data shows consistent demand across all price tiers, with rare portfolios and artist-proof editions commanding significant premiums over standard editions.
Collectors who buy Basquiat should prioritise:
- Provenance — documented chain of ownership back to The Estate or original publisher
- Edition size — smaller editions and unique works on paper carry greater scarcity value
- Condition — works in fresh condition with original framing or storage documentation
- Series significance — iconic motifs (crowns, skulls, SAMO, anatomical text) consistently outperform peripheral works
Basquiat original art in any medium is a long-term store of cultural and financial value. His place in the canon of twentieth-century art is unassailable, and institutional demand for major works continues to grow.
Basquiat Crown Symbol
The crown is Jean-Michel Basquiat's most enduring symbol — appearing in over 100 of his paintings and prints as a mark of royalty, genius, and cultural reclamation. Basquiat crowns appear across his most celebrated works: the Three-Pointed Crown motif from Untitled (Crown), Charles the First, Hollywood Africans, and the Daros Suite. When collectors search for Basquiat crown prints for sale, these estate-stamped editions — particularly the Portfolio I and II series — are the closest available equivalents to his painted crown imagery.
Basquiat Authentication
All Basquiat art for sale at Guy Hepner has been reviewed for provenance and authenticity. The primary authentication body for Basquiat's estate is The Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, which manages the artist's legacy and provides authentication services for works of sufficient documentation.
Collectors seeking to buy Basquiat prints or works on paper should always request a full provenance record, certificate of authenticity, and condition report. Guy Hepner provides all documentation with every sale and can assist collectors in navigating The Estate's authentication process for significant acquisitions.