Why are the color names wrong?

Johns intentionally mismatched stenciled color names with the paint beneath them. Reading "RED" in blue letters creates cognitive dissonance that challenges how language shapes perception.

Where did the title come from?

Johns named it after a racing print he saw at Cedar Tavern, a New York bar frequented by Abstract Expressionist artists in the 1950s.

Why is this painting significant?

It pioneered conceptual approaches within Abstract Expressionism, using language to disrupt visual perception. The $80 million sale in 2006 made it the most expensive work by a living artist.

False Start by Jasper Johns | $80M Auction Record

American artist Jasper Johns painted this False Start in 1959, creating a bold exploration of language and visual perception. The 54 by 67-inch canvas features explosive brushstrokes with stenciled color names, RED, YELLOW, ORANGE, BLUE, and GRAY, splashed across the surface. Johns deliberately mismatches the word colors with the paint beneath, forcing viewers to question the relationship between language and what they see.

When viewers read "GRAY" spelled in red letters on yellow paint, it creates cognitive dissonance that challenges automatic visual responses. The title came from a racing print Johns spotted at Cedar Tavern, a bar frequented by New York artists during the Abstract Expressionist era.

In 2006, collectors Kenneth and Anne Griffin acquired False Start from David Geffen for $80 million in a private transaction, making it the most expensive painting by a living artist at that time.

False Start

Details

Auction History

Where to See It

The Artist

Also at Private Collection

Faun

Lorenzaccio

The Artist

Marie Gallén at the Kuhmoniemi-bridge

A Beggar Warming his Hands over a Chafing Dish

About False Start

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