Jasper
Johns, considered one of the most important living post war and contemporary artists, has been making International headlines since the 1950's when The Museum of Modern Art (MOMA)
acquired the artist’s breakthrough American
Flag painting, a gift of Philip Johnson in honor of Alfred H.
Barr, Jr.
When Jasper Johns created Flag,
the dominant American
art was Abstract
Expressionism, which enthroned the bold, spontaneous use of gesture
and color to evoke emotional response. Johns, though, had begun to
paint common, instantly recognizable symbols—flags, targets, numbers,
letters.
Breaking with the idea of the canvas as a field for abstract personal
expression, Jasper Johns painted things the mind already knows. Using the American flag,
Johns said, took care of a great deal for me because I didn't have to
design it; that gave him the freedom to focus his
attention on making paintings.
On May 11 and 12, 2010, Christie's New York, will offer Jasper
Johns’ Flag, 1960-1966, painting from the Collection
of Michael Crichton, and its eventual multi- million dollar auction
result will, without doubt, make headlines.
At minimum, the result will not only establish a new auction record for
all paintings created by Jasper Johns, but may also establish an all
time record for a work of art sold at public auction. Steven A. Cohen
recently paid $110 million for the Jasper
Johns Flag, 1958, an iconic red, white and blue flag painting
created with 48 stars.
Steven A. Cohen purchased Flag,
1958, the iconic Jasper Johns masterpiece from the collection of
Jean-Christophe Castelli, who inherited the painting, from his father, Leo Castelli, the
legendary art dealer who passed in 1999. Prior to its recent purchase, Flag,
1958, had been on extended loan to the San Francisco Museum of
Modern Art.
Jasper
Johns Flag, 1960-1966, an encaustic and collage on canvas, from the
estate of Michael
Crichton, is certain to establish a new public auction record.
The odds are in its favor!
The odds are in its favor!
Jasper Johns Flag,1960-1966,
has never been offered for sale. The painting has an extraordinary
provenance. Consigned from the estate of Michael Crichton, the
best-selling film maker and author of Jurassic Park, who also
authored the Jasper Johns Whitney Museum exhibition catalogue, Mr.
Crichton acquired Flag,1960-1966,
over thirty years ago, directly from the artist.
Only two feet wide, Flag,1960-1966
has the power of a Jasper Johns painting many times larger. Rarely
exhibited, the last time was 18 years ago at the Royal
Academy of Arts, London, the Crichton Jasper Johns' painting is
destined to create International
headlines, that could take years to surpass. Over the last six
decades, Jasper Johns has created approximately 30 paintings, 14 prints and 50 drawings and works on paper using the
iconic flag image in different ways, shapes, colors, sizes, forms and
colors.
In addition to red, white and blue flags, Jasper Johns has created:
- Flags in green and orange
- Flags in shades of gray and black
- All white flags
Like the artist’s Targets, Maps, Numbers, and Alphabets, the American
flag fulfilled Jasper John's interest in depicting "things the mind
already knows”, pre-determined, recognizable images that allowed the
artist to focus on surface and execution rather than subject matter.
"It has been suggested that the American flag in Jasper Johns work is
an autobiographical
reference."
Incorporated in Jasper
Johns' The Seasons, 1987, the red, white and blue flag seems
inescapably to refer to his Johns' art. Over the last six decades,
Jasper Johns has made a point keeping his iconic flag image fresh as
he keeps changing the spacial relationships of the flag.
An analysis of Jasper Johns art with flags shows that the artist has
created many single flag paintings, like the Crichton and Cohen flags.
Jasper Johns has created the following works with flags:
- Flags within larger fields
- Multiple flags
- Backward flags
- Vertical flags
- Superimposed flags
- Hand colored flags modified over prints
- Unique color trial proof flags
A unique Jasper Johns painting and work on paper commands millions of
dollars; that is not the case for JasperJohns prints. Jasper Johns prints are especially good value; the
artist has created an extraordinary body of museum quality prints
that are coveted Internationally by museums and private collectors.
Of the 14 prints featuring the American flag, the red-white-blue flag
is a dominant image in 5 prints, including: Flags I, 1973, published by
Simca; Two Flags (Whitney Anniversary), 1980, published by Gemini; Flag
On Orange, 1998 and Flag and Vase, 2001, a smaller version of Untitled,
2000, published by Low Road Studio.
Aside from Jasper Johns' Flags I, 1973, the classic double flag screenprint published at Simca, many JasperJohns prints, especially those with the flag image, are not only
museum quality, but also reasonably priced.
An
example is Jasper
Johns, Untitled, 2000, a color linocut that incorporates the
artist's iconic red-white-blue flag. This iconic Jasper Johns print was published by the artist's Low Row Studio, in an edition of only 38 numbered impressions with 6 artist's proofs. Other examples of Jasper
Johns Untitled, 2000, are included in these prestigious museums:
