A vibrant family portrait by Jean-Michel Basquiat is expected to be one of the headline pieces at Christie’s upcoming 21st Century Evening Sale this May. The painting, Baby Boom, created in 1982 — a peak year for Basquiat — is estimated to fetch between $20 million and $30 million, according to the auction house.

Painted during a transformative period in his career, Baby Boom was first exhibited at Basquiat’s seminal solo show at Fun Gallery in November 1982. The title references the post-Second World War surge in birth rates, and the artwork is believed to portray Basquiat alongside his parents, Gerard and Matilda. The piece, notable for its exposed wooden frame, has been featured in major exhibitions, including retrospectives at the Brooklyn Museum (2005), Fondation Beyeler (2010), and Fondation Louis Vuitton (2018-19).

Previously owned by publishing magnate and Basquiat collector Peter Brant, Baby Boom was acquired at a 2001 Phillips de Pury & Luxembourg auction for $1 million. It was later offered for $30 million at Art Basel in 2017 and prominently displayed at Brant’s foundation in Manhattan in 2019.

Basquiat’s works from 1982 command some of the highest prices in the market, with seven of his ten most valuable paintings created that year. Christie’s is banking on this momentum as Baby Boom heads to auction.