"We are more popular than Jesus", said John Lennon in 1966. The Beatles were not content to be the group that sold the most records in the world and to mark the history of music . The Liverpool four also painted a unique painting which has attracted a lot of attention recently.

In an era where art is often nostalgic, Beatlemania is now in full swing. The value of each item created or owned by the group continues to increase. The sale on February 1, 2024 bears witness to this: estimated between €400,000 and €600,000, the painting put up for sale by Christie's sold for more than double: €1,744,000. However, it “only” sold for $155,250 in New York in 2012.

The colorful abstract painting in acrylic and watercolor on paper was created by the group in their hotel room during their Japanese tour in 1966. The work is remarkable, all the more so because we can sense the individuality of each member of the group. Each Beatle in fact painted a corner of the painting, signing it in the center: we recognize, for example the little caricatures of Ringo Starr.

Why paint a single painting? Their arrival in Tokyo on June 29, 1966 took place in a frenetic atmosphere. Given the excitement of fans, and especially threats from Japanese nationalists, unhappy with the fact that a Western rock group was playing in areas considered spiritual for martial arts. The Fabulous Four therefore found themselves confined for most of their five-day tour, and decided to paint to pass the time. They used the artistic materials that had been offered to them (wooden brushes, watercolors, oils, and sheets of Japanese art paper), and created this work over two nights at the Hilton Hotel in Tokyo, a process documented by the photographer Robert Whitaker. Images of a woman was immediately purchased by the president of the Japanese Beatles Fan Club, Tetsusaburo Shimoyama, before being sold in the 1990s to a gallery in Osaka for the modest sum of 191,000 dollars, almost ten times less than its purchase price today. Proof, if any were needed, that Beatlemania still has a bright future ahead of it.

The 60s group had already made waves a few months ago, after being "resurrected" by artificial intelligence and released a new song with the voice of John Lennon.