All the details on the rarely-seen Basquiat in Beyonce’s Tiffany & Co. campaign

If you haven’t already heard, Tiffany & Co. has tapped the Carters for its latest About Love campaign.

But while a 128-carat diamond was busy competing with Beyoncé for the limelight, eagle-eyed viewers noticed another star of the show: A rarely-seen Jean-Michel Basquiat painting that was the main source of Robin’s Egg Blue throughout the campaign.

Titled Equals Pi, the painting by the prolific artist was recently acquired by the jewellery brand for, according to sources, well into the eight figures. The masterpiece dates back to 1982 — widely regarded as his most collectible year — and sports a handful of his iconic, recognisable motifs, including the skull and crown.

While no one knows for sure his intentions when he created this painting, the fact that it’s completely awashed with the famous blue hue can’t be ignored, which is probably why Alexandre Arnault, Tiffany executive vice president of products and communications, argues there might be some sort of connection. 

“We know he loved New York, and that he loved luxury and he loved jewelry,” he said in an interview with WWD. “The colour is so specific that it has to be some kind of homage.”

Before Tiffany & Co. acquired it, the Basquiat painting was last seen with the Sabbadini Family, another jewellery family from Milan whose art collection spans the likes of Andy Warhol, Victor Brauner, and Damien Hirst.

Now, Tiffany & Co. hopes to share this masterpiece by putting it on display permanently in its flagship store in New York City’s Fifth Avenue, which will no doubt warrant pilgrimages by fans of both the brand and the artist soon.