Medusa Head
Medusa Head
Signed Print
Keith Haring
£110,000-£160,000Value
Indicator
$210,000-$310,000 Value Indicator
$190,000-$270,000 Value Indicator
¥990,000-¥1,440,000 Value Indicator
€130,000-€190,000 Value Indicator
$1,090,000-$1,580,000 Value Indicator
¥20,450,000-¥29,740,000 Value Indicator
$140,000-$200,000 Value Indicator
This estimate blends recent public auction records with our own private sale data and network demand.
There aren’t enough data points on this work for a comprehensive result. Please speak to a specialist by making an enquiry.
Aquatint, 1986
Signed Print Edition of 24
H 128cm x W 238cm
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Keith Haring's Medusa Head (1986) is an aquatint artwork that is estimated to be worth between £110,000 and £160,000. This signed piece has been sold at auction eight times since its first sale in May 2004. In the last five years, the hammer price has been consistent at £91,316, recorded in July 2020. The artwork has shown a steady increase in value with an impressive average annual growth rate of 19%. Please note, there have been no sales in the last 12 months. The edition size of this artwork is limited to just 24.
Auction Results
| Auction Date | Auction House | Artwork | Hammer Price | Return to Seller | Buyer Paid |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 2020 | Christie's New York - United States | Medusa Head - Signed Print | |||
| October 2013 | Christie's New York - United States | Medusa Head - Signed Print | |||
| September 2007 | Christie's New York - United States | Medusa Head - Signed Print | |||
| March 2006 | Christie's New York - United States | Medusa Head - Signed Print | |||
| November 2004 | Christie's New York - United States | Medusa Head - Signed Print | |||
| May 2004 | Christie's New York - United States | Medusa Head - Signed Print |
Meaning & Analysis
This signed screen print from 1986 is a limited edition of 24 by Keith Haring. Medusa Head is rendered in Haring’s trademark linear style and shows an image of a hydra-like figure whose tentacles stem from its neck and merge into individual bodies across the image. This is one of the large prints in Haring’s body of work and is typical in his exclusive use of black, rounded lines against a white backdrop.
Haring appropriated the image of the Medusa from mythology and art history, best known for having hair made of snakes but here the image is subverted so that her head is removed and the tentacles morph into human figures. As a powerful symbol that represents a dangerous threat that deters other dangerous threats, an image of evil that repels evil, Haring’s print seems to be a depiction of the chaos of human life that was felt in 1980s New York.
Medusa Head is very large in scale and uses simplified shapes and line to form a clear visual language for the public to understand. Although Haring’s choice of subject matter is dark, his playful linear style makes this print universally appealing. The figures hanging off the ends of the Medusa’s tentacles appear as though dancing, as emphasised by Haring’s use of action lines that convey a sense of positive energy to the viewer.
