The quality, scope and innovative vision of the late author Michael Crichton’s collection of contemporary art compelled buyers at Christie’s on May 11. The focal point of the sale was Jasper Johns’ “Flag,” 1960‱966, selling for $28,642,500, the highest price ever achieved for a work by Johns at auction. The collection realized $93,323,500 and sold 100 percent by lot and by value during the evening sale. Day sales results on May 12 brought the total for complete works from the Crichton collection to $103.3 million
Four bidders vied for the flag, which took two minutes to sell, ending at 6:55 pm. The winning bidder was a member of the US art trade. Completed by Johns in 1966, the work, executed in encaustic, was purchased by Crichton more than 30 years ago from the artist’s own collection. It was last seen in public in 1992 and was a key piece in the comprehensive and prized collection cultivated by the best-selling author of Jurassic Park . Johns’ iconic American flags are credited with jumpstarting the Pop art movement; paving the way for the avant-garde works of Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein in the mid-1960s. The previous record was for Johns’ “Figure 4,” 1959, encaustic and printed paper collage on canvas, sold at Christie’s in May 2005 for $17.4 million.
Another record was set for Mark Tansey’s “Push/Pull,” 2003, which sold for $3,283,000. The previous record for a Tansey was $3,040,000.
Further highlights included Ed Ruscha’s “Voltage,” 1964 that sold for $1,650,500, Robert Rauschenberg’s “Trapeze,” 1964, which went for $6,354,500, and Andy Warhol’s “Mao,” 1973, that sold for $2,378,500.
Prices reported include the buyer’s premium. For information, www.Christies.com or 212-636-2000.
