Keith Haring’s Man on Dolphin, 1987, is a luminous example of the artist’s ability to infuse myth, playfulness, and human connection into his instantly recognizable visual language. Executed in the later years of his career, the work reflects Haring’s mature style—bold in line, distilled in form, and radiant in its directness—while capturing a sense of exuberance that is both timeless and distinctly his own.

The composition presents a figure astride a dolphin, rendered in Haring’s signature graphic clarity. The image recalls motifs from ancient civilizations, where dolphins symbolized guidance, protection, and passage, yet here they are reimagined through Haring’s contemporary lens, transformed into a universal emblem of joy, freedom, and the harmony between human and nature. The figure, outlined in confident strokes, seems weightless, as though carried forward on waves of pure energy.

Created in 1987, Untitled (Man on Dolphin) carries the resonance of Haring’s belief in art as a vehicle for communication across barriers of culture, language, and time. The work speaks with immediacy yet resonates with art-historical echoes—from Greco-Roman myth to Renaissance allegory—making it at once accessible and profound.

Rare and striking, this piece highlights the elegance of Haring’s line and the enduring optimism of his vision. Its clarity of form and symbolic resonance position it among the artist’s most poetic works of the period, embodying a museum-quality balance of playfulness and gravitas. Untitled (Man on Dolphin) is not only a celebration of life and vitality but also a testament to Haring’s genius for transforming simple forms into enduring icons of contemporary culture.

Created in 1987, Keith Haring, Man on Dolphin, 1987 lithograph on wove paper is hand-signed and dated by Keith Haring (Reading, 1958 - New York City, 1990) in red crayon and numbered from the edition of 170 in red crayon.

Catalogue Raisonné & COA:

Keith Haring, Untitled (Man on Dolphin), 1987 is fully documented and referenced in the below catalogue raisonnés and texts (copies will be enclosed as added documentation with the invoices that will accompany the final sale of the work).

1. Littmann, Klaus. Keith Haring: Editions on Paper 1982-1990 (The Complete Printed Works). Germany: Hatje Cantz Publishers, 1993. Listed and illustrated on pg. 84.
2. A Certificate of Authenticity will accompany this work.

About the Framing:

Keith Haring, Untitled (Man on Dolphin), 1987 is framed to museum-grade, conservation standards, Keith Haring Untitled (Man on Dolphin), 1987 presented in a complementary moulding and finished with silk-wrapped mats and optical grade Plexiglas.