This artwork is protected by copyright. We cannot display images of works by artists who passed away after 1954.
See the original at Private Collection in Unknown
by Jasper Johns, 1959
Private Sale / New York
October 1, 2006
Anne Dias-Griffin
Kenneth C. Griffin
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.
Born 1930
American
Permanently housed
Luxury wall art with the same mood and energy. Gallery-quality canvas, no museum crowds.
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