Anatomy
18 works
Jean-Michel Basquiat Rome Pays Off, from Portfolio II For Sale
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Rome Pays Off, from Portfolio II, 1982-2004
Screen print
44 x 39 7/8 in 111.8 x 101.3 cm
Edition
Edition of 85 plus 15 AP
About this work
Rome Pays Off, from Portfolio II, is a vivid example of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s ability to fuse raw visual language with sharp social and economic critique. Dominated by a saturated orange ground, the composition combines schematic drawings, fragmented text, and emblematic imagery that read like notes hastily scrawled on a wall or ledger.Words such as “MARKET VALUE,” “ESTIMATED VALUE,” and “GRAFT” appear alongside a crude graph, evoking systems of power, corruption, and speculative economics. These references are counterbalanced by Basquiat’s recurring iconography: a crowned head that signals authority, survival, and self-mythologizing, and a skeletal, mask-like figure rendered in stark black and white, suggestive of both mortality and commodification. The phrase “ROME PAYS OFF” functions as a cynical mantra, hinting at empires, institutions, and the transactional nature of success—historical, cultural, and financial.The work’s apparent immediacy masks its sophistication. Basquiat draws on the visual language of street graffiti, diagrams, and children’s drawings, yet deploys them with deliberate intelligence, forcing the viewer to confront how value is assigned—whether to money, power, or human life. As part of Portfolio II, Rome Pays Off encapsulates Basquiat’s enduring relevance: an unfiltered meditation on ambition, exploitation, and the uneasy intersection between art, history, and the market. For more information or to buy Jean-Michel Basquiat's Rome Pays Off, contact our New York and London galleries using the form below.
Price on Application
Auction History
Rome Pays Off · Jean-Michel Basquiat · Phillips de Pury & Company · 2007-09 · $26,400
Rome pays off · Jean-Michel Basquiat · Swann Galleries · 2012-11 · $24,000
Rome pays off · Jean-Michel Basquiat · Artcurial · 2010-12 · $23,862
More from this series
More series by Jean-Michel Basquiat
About the Portfolio Ii Series
Jean-Michel Basquiat's Portfolio II Series
Jean-Michel Basquiat's Portfolio II stands as one of the most significant print portfolios in contemporary art, comprising four seminal screenprints that distill the raw energy and revolutionary vision of one of the 20th century's most influential artists. Created in 1982 and published posthumously in 2004, this collection features Charles the First, Cabeza, Jawbone of an Ass, and Rome Pays Off—each work a powerful testament to Basquiat's genius during his most creatively explosive period. These screenprints translate the artist's iconic visual vocabulary of crowns, skeletal figures, text fragments, and cultural symbols into a format that democratized his vision while maintaining exceptional artistic integrity.
The technical achievement of Portfolio II cannot be overstated. Each screenprint required meticulous color separation to capture Basquiat's spontaneous, gestural mark-making and his signature interplay between text and image. The works showcase his ability to synthesize street art aesthetics with art historical references, combining influences from African art, jazz, anatomy, and social commentary into compositions that remain viscerally contemporary. The portfolio's posthumous publication followed rigorous standards to ensure each print faithfully represented Basquiat's original works, with expert collaboration from the artist's estate ensuring authenticity and curatorial excellence.
From a market perspective, Portfolio II occupies a crucial position in Basquiat's oeuvre. As the artist's print works become increasingly scarce and his painting prices reach record-breaking heights at auction, these screenprints represent an essential entry point for serious collectors and institutions building comprehensive holdings. The complete portfolio is exceptionally rare on the market, while individual prints from the series have demonstrated strong appreciation and sustained collector demand. Each work is properly documented, typically numbered from the limited edition, and represents museum-quality examples of Basquiat's printmaking practice.
For collectors seeking blue-chip contemporary art with established provenance and art historical significance, Portfolio II represents both a sound investment and a profound cultural artifact. These works continue to influence contemporary artists and command attention in major exhibitions worldwide.
Guy Hepner | Contemporary Art Gallery
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.