A painting created with a felt-tip pen (marker) depicting the sport of boxing by the late boxing legend Muhammad Ali was sold for over $425,000 at a public auction in New York yesterday, Tuesday. This sale featured his lesser-known artworks, some of which exceeded their estimates by several multiples. The piece titled "Sting Like Bee," created by Muhammad Ali on paper in 1978, was the most sought-after among more than 20 paintings by the former heavyweight champion, reflecting his interests in religion, social justice, and his boxing career.
Prior estimates for the sale indicated a price range of $40,000 to $60,000, according to Reuters. The painting has the phrase "Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee!" inscribed on it, which is said by a boxer who lost to a rival raising his arms in victory. The heavyweight champion was famous for using this phrase to describe his boxing style. Bonhams auction house reported that 26 artworks by Muhammad Ali were sold for a total of $945,524, more than three times the initial estimates.
Bonhams noted that the "Sting Like Bee" painting was purchased by a memorabilia collector residing in Britain. The identities of other buyers were not disclosed. Ali's passion for painting was not widely known, but he enjoyed it as a way to relax after matches or training. Some of the works sold were traditional landscapes, while others were caricature-like drawings.
A painting created in 1979 featuring red, white, and blue colors, with the words "I love you, America," sold for $150,000, while a drawing made by Ali in 1967 comparing Islam and Christianity fetched $24,000. It is noteworthy that the former heavyweight champion announced his conversion to Islam in 1964 after winning the title for the first time when he was known as Cassius Clay. The boxing legend passed away in 2016 at the age of 74 after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. The paintings and drawings sold at the auction came from a collection owned by Rodney Hilton Brown, who worked with Ali on his artistic ventures.
