Riddle Me This, 1982/87–2022, forms part of Jean-Michel Basquiat’s Superhero Portfolio and reflects his enduring engagement with comic book imagery and pop culture. The composition brings together two of Gotham’s most recognisable villains, The Riddler and The Joker, depicted in a deliberately playful and irreverent scenario. The Riddler stands on top of a snake while holding a bottle marked “XXX”, a familiar cartoon symbol for alcohol. This motif appears repeatedly across the image, alongside Basquiat’s signature crown and the Batman emblem, both recurring visual elements within the wider series.
The screenprint is based on the original painting
Riddle Me This Batman, created in 1987 using acrylic and oil paintstick on canvas. Produced just one year before Basquiat died in 1988 at the age of 28, the original work achieved significant market recognition when it sold for over
$6 million at
Sotheby's in 2010.
To find out more about Riddle Me This, 1982/87-2022, or to enquire about the work get in touch below.
