A Masterpiece Reemerges

Self-Portrait as a Heel (Part Two) was last publicly displayed in 1999, fetching a mere $772,000 at auction. Since then, it has resided in a private collection, but now, it is set to make a grand reappearance to the public eye. This eight-foot self-portrait, created in 1982, had been hidden away for decades and is set to be auctioned at Sotheby’s this month. Sotheby’s estimates the value of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s ‘newest’ work to be in the range of $40 million to $60 million.

Self-Portrait as a Heel (Part Two). Courtesy of Sotheby’s.

This is a truly exceptional event, as the last time a high-quality, large-scale Basquiat piece was sold was back in 2017, when Sotheby’s set a record with a $110 million sale. Its counterpart, Self-Portrait as a Heel, was sold at Christie’s in 2010 for $5.9 million. While it may not break the current record, the upcoming Sotheby’s auction still stands as one of the most valuable Basquiat works to be displayed to the public.

Within Basquiat’s oeuvre, it stands out as one of the paintings featuring the ‘heel’ slogan, alongside its counterpart and Hollywood Africans, now housed in the Whitney Museum of American Art. This piece serves as an autobiographical exploration of Basquiat’s identity and the portrayal of his experiences on the West Coast. The ‘heel’ slogan was used as slang for a delinquent or punk, and by incorporating it into his self-portraits, Basquiat positions himself as an anti-hero or a villain among his contemporaries. David Galperin, a contemporary art specialist at Sotheby’s, commented: “Unlike other paintings by Basquiat that have sly references to himself, this painting self-consciously renders an image not only of who he understands himself to be but also of the way he felt others would inevitably perceive him—a testament to his own searching for himself and his vision for the lasting legacy of his artwork.” In 1982, Basquiat experienced a breakthrough in his career, transitioning from the streets to the studio, a pivotal moment highlighted by Galperin. It is no wonder that his works from this period are now in such high demand and hold substantial value. The grand unveiling of this masterpiece will take place at Sotheby’s Contemporary Evening Auction on November 15.