Rome Pays Off
by Jean-Michel Basquiat
Year: 1982-2004
Medium: Screenprint on Lenox Museum Board
Size: 44” x 40”
Screenprint in colours, 2004, from Portfolio II, numbered of 85, with the Estate stamp verso, signed in pencil and dated by Gerard Basquiat, the administrator of the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat, published by David DeSanctis Contemporary Art, Inc., New York, on Saunders Hot Press watercolour paper.
In Jean-Michel Basquiat's 1982 artwork "Rome Pays Off," the title suggests a multifaceted critique of power, commerce, and imperialism, drawing parallels between the historical Roman Empire and contemporary society's focus on wealth and status. The work combines symbolic imagery, such as his iconic crown, with text like "Market Value" and references to "Salt" to explore themes of capitalist exploitation, the commodification of art, and the value placed on black identity and culture, reflecting his larger artistic commentary on power structures and the human condition.
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Jean-Michel Basquiat
Rome Pays Off
Year: 1982-2004
Medium: Screenprint on Lenox Museum Board
Size: 44” x 40”
Screenprint in colours, 2004, from
In Jean-Michel Basquiat's 1982 artwork "Rome Pays Off," the title suggests a multifaceted critique of power, commerce, and imperialism, drawing parallels between the historical Roman Empire and contemporary society's focus on wealth and status. The work combines symbolic imagery, such as his iconic crown, with text like "Market Value" and references to "Salt" to explore themes of capitalist exploitation, the commodification of art, and the value placed on black identity and culture, reflecting his larger artistic commentary on power structures and the human condition.