This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 12/1/2012
Considered one of the top "pop" artists in the world, Steve Kaufman's silk-screened canvases should instantly bring to mind the work of the most famous pop artist of all time, Andy Warhol. This is no coincidence. For the better part of a decade, the young Kaufman was a friend and apprentice of the great Warhol, gaining such trust from both the artist and his supporters that Kaufman finished a number of Warhol's incomplete commissions after the master's passing. Yet, while the influence is undeniable, Kaufman's work takes the genre's sophistication a step further, bringing the image into a greater context through a sort of "collage philosophy" that's apparent in the offered work.
In 1996, Kaufman was commissioned to create a limited edition series of Muhammad Ali portraits titled "The Greatest." Ali himself said of the series, "The style and dynamic color that Steve Kaufman used in these portraits really captures the memory of my boxing career. These are the best I've ever seen." Kaufman created each print individually with a combination of silk screening and hand-painted touches. This unique 38” by 38” screen-print is expertly hand-embellished by the renowned artist with daring precision. A collage and caption of The Greatest is also superimposed on the canvas. The current and former surnames of the pugilist are etched with gold paint pen, having worn a bit to project at (6-7/10) strength. Following his Parkinson’s diagnosis in 1984, Ali was not inclined to sign his previous surname. The scarce coupling of the Ali/Clay autograph along with the astounding presentation appeal makes this an investment quality piece of sports art. Hand numbered #89/100 on the reverse by the artist.
Full LOA by PSA/DNA.