$500 Million on Basquiat: One Billionaire’s Buying Spree
February 4, 2026
One collector. One artist. Nearly $500 million spent. Citadel founder Ken Griffin has reportedly been acquiring Jean-Michel Basquiat works at an unprecedented scale — including a $35M private sale and earlier $100M+ purchases. As major works disappear into private collections, the Basquiat market keeps accelerating. Is this smart collecting — or market distortion?
Works by Jean-Michel Basquiat
View all →
Untitled 5, from The Figure Portfolio
Odours Of Punt
Great Wind of Sphenoid, from Anatomy
Untitled 4 (from Leonardo)
Untitled 2, from The Figure Portfolio
Untitled 1 (from Leonardo)
The Scapula, from Anatomy
Three Views of The Shoulder Joint Opened, from Anatomy
Female Pelvis, Back View, from Anatomy
Cabeza, from Portfolio II
Untitled 1, from The Figure Portfolio
Wolf Sausage, King Brand, Untitled (Dog Leg Study), Undiscovered Genius
Up Next
Jean-Michel Basquiat
How Basquiat Prints Became Million-Dollar Art
Jean-Michel Basquiat
How Basquiat Prints Became Million-Dollar Art
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Basquiat Painting Could Sell for $45 Million at Sotheby’s #basquiat #sothebys #contemporaryart
Jean-Michel Basquiat
Part 2: The $110M Basquiat wasn’t the whole story. #basquiat
Jean-Michel Basquiat
This Basquiat once sold for $110 million — but here’s the real reason collectors covet it.
The internet just accidentally roasted a REAL Monet painting.
$85 Million Rothko Just Shocked the Art Market
Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol Ads Portfolio Countdown: Least to Most Valuable 💰
Andy Warhol
Why Andy Warhol’s Flowers Sold for $35 MILLION 🌸💰
Yayoi Kusama
Why Yayoi Kusama’s Art Sells for $10 Million #yayoiKusama #contemporaryart
Banksy
Banksy’s Identity FINALLY Revealed? New Investigation Claims It Knows Who He Is #banksy
Christie’s London delivered a $264.5M evening auction in London #contemporaryart #artmarket
Tracey Emin
Why Someone Paid $250,000 for a Tracey Emin Neon #TraceyEmin #ArtMarket #ContemporaryArt
David Hockney
David Hockney switched paintbrush for IPad. And sells them for millions #davidhockney
Damien Hirst
Who Is the Richest Living Artist in the World? ($1 Billion Net Worth)
Andy Warhol
Who Really Controls the Andy Warhol Market? #andywarhol #artmarket #artinvestment #billionaire