Offered is a Muhammad Ali signed and framed serigraph by famed sports painter Leroy Neiman, also signed by the artist. Ali signed his name in gray graphite pencil in the lower left corner of the 30 x 44-inch color serigraph of a Neiman portrait of the three-time World Heavyweight Boxing Champion. Neiman signed his name in gray graphite pencil in the lower right corner of the print, which is known as “Muhammad Ali – Athlete of the Century”. The serigraph derives from Neiman’s 2000 larger-than-life oil painting of Ali, based on sketches made in 1964. This was the transition period when then Cassius Clay changed his name to Muhammad Ali. It was also the time of Ali's two historic fights with Sonny Liston in which he first took the heavyweight championship from Liston, and then defended his title in a decisive first-round knockout. This is Ali as he looked at the age of 22, a new champion just coming into his prime. The print bursts with color and vitality and brings to life the Ali who, as was frequently said, 'floats like a butterfly and stings like a bee'. Bold splashes of red, along with yellow, green, purple and blue, capture his larger-than-life presence. This serigraph is inscribed “585/850” in gray graphite pencil in the lower center of the print. The Ali and Neiman signed serigraph is mounted in a light gray canvas matte with navy-blue accent and displayed in a 41½ x 56½-inch black wood with glass frame. Please note that the museum lighting fixture has been detached from the top of the frame for shipping, and that shipping cost will be higher due to the size and weight of this item. This item comes with a LOA from JSA.

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