Jasper Johns stands as one of the giants of American post war art. His art marked the transition from Abstract Expressionism and laid the groundwork for Pop Art and Conceptual Art. His work often features familiar symbols such as numbers, maps, target and flags. In addition to his paintings he experimented extensively with various printmaking techniques and these works constitute a large part of his body of work.
As an indication of his historical importance, Johns holds the record for the highest price ever paid for a painting by a living American artist. His 1958 Flag painting was sold to hedge fund billionaire Steven A. Cohen by Jean-Christophe Castelli for a reported $110 million in 2010 ($129 million in 2019 dollars).
Among the many honors he has received include the National Medal of Arts and the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 2018 the New York Times labelled him the United States’ “foremost living artist.”