''Devolved Parliament'' is a 2009 oil-on-canvas painting by
Banksy
Banksy is a pseudonymous England-based street artist, political activist, and film director whose real name and identity remain unconfirmed and the subject of speculation. Active since the 1990s, his satirical street art and subversive ep ...
, replacing British politicians debating in the
House of Commons
The House of Commons is the name for the elected lower house of the Bicameralism, bicameral parliaments of the United Kingdom and Canada. In both of these countries, the Commons holds much more legislative power than the nominally upper house of ...
with
chimpanzee
The chimpanzee (; ''Pan troglodytes''), also simply known as the chimp, is a species of Hominidae, great ape native to the forests and savannahs of tropical Africa. It has four confirmed subspecies and a fifth proposed one. When its close rel ...
s. In 2019, the artwork became Banksy's most costly to date, selling for £9.9 million ($12.2 million) at
Sotheby's
Sotheby's ( ) is a British-founded multinational corporation with headquarters in New York City. It is one of the world's largest brokers of fine art, fine and decorative art, jewellery, and collectibles. It has 80 locations in 40 countries, an ...
in
London
London is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in the United Kingdom, largest city of both England and the United Kingdom, with a population of in . London metropolitan area, Its wider metropolitan area is the largest in Wester ...
on October 3, 2019.
[Banksy, ''Devolved Parliament'']
, Sotheby's, October 3, 2019.
The work measures .
[ It was titled ''Question Time'' when first shown at the Bristol Museum & Art Gallery's 2009 Banksy show.][ A reworked and retitled version of the painting was exhibited in Bristol in March 2019, with changes to details such as a banana and some lamps.][ Banksy commented, "Laugh now, but one day no-one will be in charge".][
The depiction of chimpanzees echoes Banksy's 2002 work ''Laugh Now'', a 6-foot-long stencilled work showing a row of apes wearing aprons with the inscription "Laugh now, but one day we'll be in charge", and the similar ''Keep it Real''.][ Chimpanzees are a theme that has occurred throughout Banksy's oeuvre, as a satirical device in the tradition of the '' singerie'' that depicts monkeys imitating human behavior. Examples include his ''Self-Portrait'' (2000) which shows a person holding spray cans but with a chimpanzee's head, and '' Monkey Queen'' (2003) based on a portrait of ]Elizabeth II
Elizabeth II (Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; 21 April 19268 September 2022) was Queen of the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth realms from 6 February 1952 until Death and state funeral of Elizabeth II, her death in 2022. ...
with a chimpanzee's face.Banksy Monkey Business
Banksy Explained
See also
* List of works by Banksy
The following is a list of works by Banksy. Banksy, active since the 1990s, is an England-based graffiti artist, political activist and film director whose real identity is unknown. His satirical street art and subversive epigrams combine dark hu ...
* List of most expensive artworks by living artists
References
{{Banksy
2009 paintings
Chimpanzees in art
Political art
Works by Banksy