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, 1958
Christie's / New York
May 11, 2010
Private Collection
Private Collector
Working in encaustic on canvas, Jasper Johns created this Flag in 1954-55 at age 24, inspired by a dream of the American flag. The 42 by 60-inch canvas uses encaustic, a wax-based medium, over newspaper collage on fabric mounted to plywood. The layered technique allows viewers to glimpse fragments of newspaper beneath the painted surface.
By choosing such a familiar, everyday object, Johns challenged viewers to reconsider what makes art valuable. The flag eliminated subjective color choices: the subject dictated red, white, and blue. This conceptual approach marked a watershed moment, bridging Abstract Expressionism and the emerging Pop Art movement.
The original 1954-55 version resides at MoMA. A 1960 variant from author Michael Crichton's collection sold at Christie's in 2010 for $28.6 million, then a record for the artist.
Luxury wall art with the same mood and energy. Gallery-quality canvas, no museum crowds.
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