Muhammad Ali, a boxer but also a contemporary artist who is worth a million dollars today

Lot 36. Muhammad Ali, Sting Like A Bee © Bonhams / Muhammad Ali

A recent auction sold 26 of his extremely rare works for almost $ 1 million.

Muhammad Ali and his illustrious boxing career are well-known, but you might be surprised to learn that Ali was also an accomplished artist. It was recently announced that an auction of the boxer's artwork brought in a tidy sum.

In addition to his boxing, activism, and poetry, the soaring cultural icon also excels in the arts. However, a recent auction sold 26 of his extremely rare works for almost $1 million. Ali's colorful collection was created with a variety of paints, pencils, pastels, and felt pens.

Ali was encouraged to take an interest in art by his father

The total sale price was $945,524, which was three times the appraisers' expectations. Sting like a Bee  sold for $425,312, the highest price paid for an artwork in the auction. 'I love America,' for example, fetched $150,312, while 'The Crowd,' fetched $24,687.
Apparently, Ali was encouraged to pursue art by his father, a professional artist, who worked as an auctioneer. In his later years, Ali enlisted the help of sports artist LeRoy Neiman as a tutor. While in a hotel room on the night of the boxer's third heavyweight championship win, friend and collaborator Rodney Hilton Brown cast Ali's hand in bronze, resulting in what is now one of the largest private collections of Ali's art.

Lot 65. Muhammad Ali, A cast bronze of Muhammad Ali's right "knockout" © Bonhams / Muhammad Ali

This collection is incredibly endearing

The fact that Ali has a secret art career has surprised many of us, as evidenced by the outpouring of support on social media for Ali's work. Fans were taken aback when Bonhams shared Ali's artwork on Instagram. The majority of Instagram users who left comments on the post were pleasantly surprised, with one saying, "Love the #muhammadali pieces," and another saying, "I wish I could afford to buy, especially the 2nd picture [Sting Like A Bee]! ".

A user commented that "my friend's 10-year-old daughter paints way better!" but others weren't as impressed. "Was he 4 when he made those?" another person inquired.This collection is incredibly endearing, thanks to the combination of naivety and vibrant colors in Ali's work.