Jean-Michel Basquiat Net Worth - Pulptastic

What was Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Net Worth?

Jean-Michel Basquiat was a prominent artist in the neo-expressionist movement of the 1980s, earning millions at his peak. Despite his wealth, his lifestyle was comparable to that of a homeless person. After breaking out as part of a graffiti duo, his works were exhibited globally. He passed away in 1988 from a heroin overdose, but the value of his work steadily increased. Today, Basquiat’s paintings are among the most valuable modern works, with a record sale price of $110.5 million to a Japanese collector in 2017.

Early Life

Jean-Michel Basquiat was born in Brooklyn on December 22, 1960, to Haitian immigrant Gérard and Puerto Rican Matilde. He had an older brother who passed away, and two younger sisters. His mother introduced him to art at a young age, taking him to local museums and enrolling him in the Brooklyn Museum of Art. He was a precocious child who could read and write by age four.

At age seven, Basquiat was hit by a car, resulting in a broken arm and internal injuries. Following his parents’ separation, he and his sisters were raised by their father, as their mother was committed to a psychiatric hospital. Basquiat attended Edward R. Murrow High School and City-As-School, an alternative school for artistic students. He was eventually expelled for throwing a pie at the principal.