Muhammad Ali Signed Ltd. Ed. Serigraph, "'Ref, He Did Float Like A Butterfly And Sting Like A Bee!'"
Muhammad Ali
n.p., n.d. but ca. 1979
Muhammad Ali Signed Ltd. Ed. Serigraph, "'Ref, He Did Float Like A Butterfly And Sting Like A Bee!'"
Signed artwork
A limited edition color serigraph by professional boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), "'Ref, He Did Float Like A Butterfly And Sting Like A Bee!'", #127/500. Ca. 1979. N.p. Pencil-signed by Ali as "Muhammad Ali" outside the image at lower right. Ali's enormous signature measures 5.25" x 1.375" alone. Pencil-inscribed "127/500" at lower left. A blind-embossed floral monogram can be found at lower right. Stamped "© 1979 Herbert Muhammad Enterprises" verso along bottom. In yellow, red, black, blue, green, brown on thick cream paper with a bottom deckled edge. Isolated minor foxing affecting the rightmost speech bubble, and three of four edges. Else near fine. 25.375" x 22.25." Accompanied by photocopies reproduced from Rodney Hilton Brown, "Muhammad Ali The Untold Story: Painter, Poet & Prophet" (2021).
This humorous print shows Ali at the center of the ring with arms upraised, triumphing over an opponent laid out below him dazed, who admits regretfully that Ali does in fact float and sting… The referee is seen fleeing the scene. As noted in the companion research material, Ali made three practice sketches of the work prior to completing the painting of the same scene, executed during the summer of 1978 in Natchez, Mississippi.
Muhammad Ali: philanthropist, activist, athlete, artist?! While Ali is best remembered for his championship boxing career, he was also a man of many interests. One of these was art, both in its creation and its appreciation. As a young boy, Ali apparently excelled in art (as well as gym), and he probably became interested in it because his father was a muralist.
In 1979, towards the end of Ali's professional boxing career, he produced a handful of silkscreens depicting or interpreting a few of his disparate interests: boxing, social justice, and Islam, to name a few. Ali's business manager Jabir Herbert Muhammad, whose name appears stamped verso, approached New York City's Ro Gallery to sell exclusively these signed limited edition prints. More than 40 years after they were created and a decade after Ali's death, Ro Gallery is still selling examples of this particular print for a retail price of $4,500.
This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.
WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!
25.375" x 22.25"
Muhammad Ali
n.p., n.d. but ca. 1979
Muhammad Ali Signed Ltd. Ed. Serigraph, "'Ref, He Did Float Like A Butterfly And Sting Like A Bee!'"
Signed artwork
A limited edition color serigraph by professional boxer Muhammad Ali (1942-2016), "'Ref, He Did Float Like A Butterfly And Sting Like A Bee!'", #127/500. Ca. 1979. N.p. Pencil-signed by Ali as "Muhammad Ali" outside the image at lower right. Ali's enormous signature measures 5.25" x 1.375" alone. Pencil-inscribed "127/500" at lower left. A blind-embossed floral monogram can be found at lower right. Stamped "© 1979 Herbert Muhammad Enterprises" verso along bottom. In yellow, red, black, blue, green, brown on thick cream paper with a bottom deckled edge. Isolated minor foxing affecting the rightmost speech bubble, and three of four edges. Else near fine. 25.375" x 22.25." Accompanied by photocopies reproduced from Rodney Hilton Brown, "Muhammad Ali The Untold Story: Painter, Poet & Prophet" (2021).
This humorous print shows Ali at the center of the ring with arms upraised, triumphing over an opponent laid out below him dazed, who admits regretfully that Ali does in fact float and sting… The referee is seen fleeing the scene. As noted in the companion research material, Ali made three practice sketches of the work prior to completing the painting of the same scene, executed during the summer of 1978 in Natchez, Mississippi.
Muhammad Ali: philanthropist, activist, athlete, artist?! While Ali is best remembered for his championship boxing career, he was also a man of many interests. One of these was art, both in its creation and its appreciation. As a young boy, Ali apparently excelled in art (as well as gym), and he probably became interested in it because his father was a muralist.
In 1979, towards the end of Ali's professional boxing career, he produced a handful of silkscreens depicting or interpreting a few of his disparate interests: boxing, social justice, and Islam, to name a few. Ali's business manager Jabir Herbert Muhammad, whose name appears stamped verso, approached New York City's Ro Gallery to sell exclusively these signed limited edition prints. More than 40 years after they were created and a decade after Ali's death, Ro Gallery is still selling examples of this particular print for a retail price of $4,500.
This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.
WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!
25.375" x 22.25"
