King Alphonso
Created in collaboration with the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat and published by Flatiron Editions, King Alphonso, originally composed by Basquiat in 1982-83 using acrylic and charcoal on paper, is a powerful example of the artist’s self-identification as a historical black monarch.
The most identifiable element of the work, Basquiat’s iconic signature three-point crown looms above an anomalous head set amongst unintelligible scribbles and emphatic sketches. The label written beneath this head, KING ALPHONSO, references the series of Spanish monarchs of the Iberian region, as a poignant expression of Basquiat’s contrived cultural heritage. King Alphonso XIII (r. 1886-1931), also known as El Africano or the African for his Africanist views, was King of Spain until 1931, when the Second Spanish Republic was proclaimed.
Basquiat invokes this controversial monarch to explore his recurring themes of race, power and identity and in so doing reveals his extensive knowledge of history of to be significantly greater than an average 22-year old of any background.
The posthumous release of King Alphonso is stamped and signed by Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux, the artist’s sisters and administrators of the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat.
King Alphonso
- Artist
- after Jean-Michel Basquiat (1960-1988)
- Title
- King Alphonso
- Medium
- Screenprint in colours
- Date
- 1982-1983 / 2025
- Size
- 29 x 39 in : 73.6 x 99.0 cm
- Framed size
- 34 5/8 x 40 5/8 in : 88.0 x 103.2 cm
- Edition
- From the edition of 60
- Inscriptions
- Stamped and signed by Lisane Basquiat and Jeanine Heriveaux, the artist’s sisters and administrators of the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat
- Publisher
- Published by Flatiron Editions, New York in collaboration with the Estate of Jean-Michel Basquiat
- Reference
- AC26-20
- Status
- Available
Available Artists
- Albers Anni
- Ancart Harold
- Andre Carl
- Avery Milton
- Baldessari John
- Barnes Ernie
- Basquiat Jean-Michel
- Calder Alexander
- Castellani Enrico
- Crawford Brett
- Dadamaino
- de Tollenaere Saskia
- Downing Thomas
- Dyson Julian
- Elsner Slawomir
- Freud Lucian
- Gadsby Eric
- Gander Ryan
- Guston Philip
- Haring Keith
- Hayes David
- Held Al
- Hill Anthony
- Hockney David
- Hutchinson Norman Douglas
- Jenney Neil
- Katz Alex
- Kentridge William
- Knifer Julije
- Kusama Yayoi
- Le Parc Julio
- Leciejewski Edgar
- Levine Chris
- Marchéllo
- Mavignier Almir da Silva
- Miller Harland
- Modé João
- Morellet François
- Nadelman Elie
- Nara Yoshitomo
- Nesbitt Lowell Blair
- O'Donoghue Hughie
- Perry Grayson
- Picasso Pablo
- Pickstone Sarah
- Prehistoric Objects
- Richter Gerhard
- Riley Bridget
- Ruscha Ed
- Sedgley Peter
- Serra Richard
- Shrigley David
- Smith Anj
- Smith Richard
- Smith David
- Soto Jesús Rafael
- Soulages Pierre
- Spencer Stanley
- Taller Popular de Serigrafía
- The Connor Brothers
- Vasarely Victor
- Wood Jonas