42 x 61 in
Museum of Modern Art, New York, 1954-55.
From Deidre Barrett’s The Committee of Sleep
Born in South Carolina during the Depression, Jasper Johns’s artistic aspirations led him to New York, where he painted for several years without finding a unique voice. In 1954 he resolved to “stop becoming and be an artist.”
His inspiration was a dream in which he saw himself painting a large American flag, and the next day he began exactly that project, later titled simply Flag. A lengthy series of flag pictures followed, which established Johns as a major artist. His work continued with other simple, bold paintings that highlighted the design artistry of commonplace objects.
He disavowed all his paintings that preceded Flag destroying those still in his possession and purchasing and shredding any that came to his attention later. “Since he has never shown anything drawn before this,” wrote one biographer, “the extraordinary initial impact of the image and the authority with which it is painted give the impression of a finished artist suddenly sprung from nowhere.”
Johns later told an interviewer, “I have not dreamed of any other painting. I must be grateful for such a dream!” He laughed. “The unconscious thought was accepted by the conscious gratefully.”
Jasper Johns “Flag” Painting Sells for $28.6 MM
May 12, 2010
One of legendary artist Jasper Johns “Flag” paintings was auctioned off last night at Christie’s, and sold for $28.6 million, setting a new auction record for one of his pieces. The wax and paper collage was the highest selling item of the 31 works at auction from the art collection of the late author Michael Crichton. The buyer wasn’t identified, but a Christie’s spokesman said it was purchased by a gallery or other business, rather than an individual.
Johns, who will turn 80 on Saturday, painted at least 20 versions of the “Flag” series in the mid-1960s while living in NYC. He sold this one to Crichton in 1973. It was estimated beforehand to get around $15 million at auction; Johns previous auction record was$18 million in 2007 for “Figure 4” painting. The winning bidder told the Daily News, “It’s a very fair price. It’s an iconic picture, and it’s probably the last opportunity we’ll have to obtain a picture by one of the great American masters.”
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