The artist put this design together in mixed media, using acrylics, oil sticks and paper collages which he arranged together on a canvas. As is typical of his work, he would then sign and date the piece on the wooden frame supports that lied behind the canvas. In the early 1980s the artist was really starting to achieve success and fame whilst still working hard to try out new ideas within his established style. He already had generated a successful set of symbols which he would re-use across multiple artworks, including his skulls and the crowns which we see regularly across his work. He would explain the meaning of each of these during his own lifetime, but they were flexible enough to change their message when used in different contexts. Most new to his career can enjoy his accessible style without even being aware of the true meanings of some of his symbolism and abstract forms.
The title specifically refers to a Christian passage, where Samson would claim to have slain a thousand men purely with the use of the jawbone of an ass, thanks to the incredible strength that he held. Basquiat was knowledgeable around religious topics and would use them as inspiration for his work from time to time which was relatively unusual for this period of art history, and much more common during earlier art movements such as the Italian and Northern Renaissance. This reflects the softening role of religion within western culture over the past few centuries, but for some it is stil a critical part of their every day lives.
A total of eighty five screenprints were made from the original painting in 2005 and these have eached fetched around $20,000 - $40,000 individually through various private sales. The estate of the artist work hard to continue his legacy and protect everything that he achieved during his own lifetime and will occasionally release screen prints in limited editions which they will provide documentation alongside each one. This helps others to be able to acquire items from his career, when the original oil paintings are now worth well into the millions of dollars and out of reach for most small time collectors.
