Photo by Carrie Villines

Michael Jackson commissioned this heroicizing portrait from Kehinde Wiley, but never saw it in its final form.

Kehinde Wiley Mickalene Thomas All the President’s Art London Sales Preview Miami’s Silver Lining L.A. Crowd Craig Robins to Open Private Museum in Miami Miami Madness

Send a letter to the Editor

Save to Del.icio.us Digg this

In 2008 the singer, who died on June 25, 2009, commissioned from rising artist Kehinde Wiley, who is known for his flashy portraits of African-American men and women, a portrait of himself. The work, titled Equestrian Portrait of King Philip II, was included in New York gallery Deitch Projects' booth at Art Basel Miami Beach last week, where it sold to an unnamed collector for $175,000, according to Agence France-Presse.

"I was receiving messages saying Michael Jackson wants to reach you," said Wiley of being commissioned for the work. "I ignored them because quite honestly I thought it was a prank."

Wiley suggests that Jackson was rather specific in his instructions, saying, "Unfortunately, I didn't have as much input as I would have hoped for, but I think it's something he would have been proud of." Jackson never saw the finished work, which measures more than 11 by 10 feet and depicts the singer looking knightly and heroic on a horse, with a romantic background complete with cherubs.

He added, "I felt a responsibility to him to get it done [after he died]."

Two additional Wiley paintings, both of President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle, did not sell at Basel.