Takashi Murakami

This work is in very good condition. There are a few scattered light rubs and evidence of wear, primarily around the edges. There is a light abrasion near the bottom left corner. There are a few scattered shallow depressions on the surface of the canvas, primarily visible only under raking light. Not examined under ultraviolet light.
In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective qualified opinion.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING CONDITION OF A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD "AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF SALE PRINTED IN THE CATALOGUE.

Mr. Dob has now become a kind of self-portrait.  However, he came into existence in a very particular context: this was the time when artists like Jenny Holzer and Barbara Kruger, whose works gave a prominent role to language, were being shown in Japan.  This style of art was incredibly successful in Japan when I started  out and the concept of Mr. Dob was originally born in relation with these American artists...In the beginning, then, Mr. Dob did not arise as a character, but simply as a figure with two ears (the left one showing the letter D, the right one the letter B, and the face forming an O),...Through him, one of the aims was to show Japanese artists and critics that we had to find another means of expression.
Takashi Murakami (Exh. Cat., Takashi Murakami, Serpentine Gallery, London, 2002, p. 75)