Banksy (b. 1974) Rat & Heart, 2015 Spray paint and emulsion on cut-out canvas, in artist's frame 9-7/8 x 11-7/8 inches (25.1 x 30.2 cm) (canvas) 12-5/8 x 14-5/8 inches (32 x 27 cm) (white frame) Signed and marked with CND symbol on the backing board PROVENANCE: The artist; Private collection; Sotheby's London, Contemporary Art Day Sale, October 8, 2016, lot 192; Private collection, London, acquired from the above. EXHIBITED: MUDEC (Museo delle Culture), Milan, and elsewhere, "A Visual Protest: The Art of Banksy," November 21, 2018-April 14, 2019. LITERATURE: G. Mercurio, ed., A Visual Protest: The Art of Banksy, Milan, 2018, pp. 62-63. NOTE: This work is accompanied by a Certificate of Authenticity issued by Pest Control on October 6, 2016. "They exist without permission. They are hated, hunted and persecuted. They live in quiet desperation among the filth. And yet they are capable of bringing entire civilizations to their knees. If you are dirty, insignificant and unloved then rats are the ultimate role model" (Banksy, Wall and Piece, London, 2006, p. 95) Banksy, the anonymous and elusive street artist, political activist, and film director, has captivated the art world with his audacious and thought-provoking works since his emergence in the early 1990s. Merging potent social commentary with a touch of dark humor, the artist's works frequently exhibit's his distinctive stencil-based artistic style and often features intricate symbolic references to a range of complex themes including consumerism, politics, the human condition, and the impact of war. Rats have long served as stand-ins for outsiders in Banksy's work. They inhabit the overlooked spaces of the city and persist despite attempts to remove them, making them fitting counterparts to the street artist. Banksy's description of rats as creatures that "exist without permission" could equally apply to his own practice of placing images in public spaces. Across his work, Banksy gives rats the tools and attitudes of their human neighbors. They carry paintbrushes and spray cans, make music and announce that "Our time will come." These small, rebellious figures allow him to deliver his messages with humor. In Rat & Heart (2015), a rat raises its nose toward a red heart against an otherwise empty white ground. Rendered in black and gray, its rounded body and curling tail occupy the lower half of the canvas, while the heart provides the work's only strong color. The heart is an opening cut through the canvas, with ragged edges that suggest the rat has gnawed through it. The animal appears to have made the heart itself, turning a destructive habit into an act of affection. An animal usually associated with dirt and decay becomes an unlikely maker of something beautiful. This reversal invites a broader reading about the value of those society overlooks. The work was included in the traveling exhibition A Visual Protest: The Art of Banksy, shown at MUDEC in Milan in 2018–2019 and elsewhere, and illustrated in the accompanying catalogue. It brings the directness of Banksy's street imagery to an intimate scale. HID12401132022 © 2026 Heritage Auctions | All Rights Reserved www.HA.com/TexasAuctioneerLicenseNotice

MUDEC (Museo delle Culture), Milan, and elsewhere, "A Visual Protest: The Art of Banksy," November 21, 2018-April 14, 2019.

The artist; Private collection; Sotheby’s London, Contemporary Art Day Sale, October 8, 2016, lot 192; Private collection, London, acquired from the above.

Unlined. Colors appear fresh.
Under UV: no apparent inpainting.
Framed Dimensions 20.75 X 22.625 Inches