TRADED FOR A JASPER JOHNS PAINTING - GOOD DEAL?

A guy came to my estate/garage sale today & ended up buying $400 worth of art - 2 paintings + 2 lithos. Plus I gave him a framed Monroe photo w/a newspaper article for free when he complimented it.
While I was helping him pack his van I looked at the other art he'd gotten from a earlier estate sale & saw this Jasper Johns painting.
I asked him if he wanted to sell it & he told me he'd just bought it for $150 and would sell it to me for $250 - I offered $200 and reminded him of the price cut I gave when he asked + the Monroe piece he liked for free.
He agreed & I gave him back $200 of the $400 he'd just handed me!
While photographing it to show here I opened a corner of the back to be sure it was a painting and it is! But the center square looks like it was glued or added onto the black paper the painting was on and then painted over/along it's edges.
But it IS a painting - I felt it and it was easy to feel/tell!
It's not big 19" x 16" with frame.
So:
Is it a real Jasper Johns & not a copy/fan (I read he's famous for the American symbols he puts in his works; flags, etc.. Closest this has is a bullet!)
Is it worth the $200 I gave/traded for it? (Did I do good?!!)
Why such a thick, triple layer piece behind the painting? The staples too were heavy duty)
Thank you for any info it is appreciated!
PS - I must be addicted to art or the hustle of buying & selling it - just as I got rid of some...I bought another! lol

 

If it's really his, you have something unique because if you google his name and the title of the painting, it looks nothing like his other Target pictures. The signature looks like his.

 

I saw 2-3 different ones with target but the sug looked right to me too

 

Nope

 

Nope? The signature is spot on.
Anyone else have a opinion?
I guess I'm going to have to take it to a museum to check.

 

Compare to signatures here (I don't think it is even close):

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=i...&ved=0ahUKEwjXyYm86MbuAhUBP6wKHd2aDksQ4dUDCAc

 

Signatures are easier to copy than paintings. This one is an awful attempt at mimicking Johns’ style.

 

You should absolutely do that but if you had researched Johns you’d clearly see that his work has nothing in common with your piece.

Anyone who picks hopes to score a holy grail but realistically those scores are usually made by those with knowledge on either unsigned or illegibly signed works. Do you really think both an estate dealer AND the guy who scored off you would give away a painting worth millions with a clearly legible sig?

 

I'll find out - also his smaller paintings on invaluable were estimated at $6,000 - $23,000 not millions

https://www.invaluable.com/artist/johns-jasper-ht6yo458ng/sold-at-auction-prices/

 

stick to bikes with banana saddles..........

 

I'm sorry............ I don't see it....not even the siggy !!

 

You have no clue what you’re talking about. His prints can go to $60.000. Unique works on PAPER can go for several hundred thousand. You have a painting-not a Johns but a painting. It’s in your best interest to learn how to search closed auctions from major reputable houses so if you do find a serious work you have some realistic idea of value.

Jasper Johns is an American icon. He’s a household name for anyone who thinks they know anything about American post WWll art after Abstract Expressionism. There is arguably no one more important. He is pretty much the bridge between Abstract Expressionism and Pop.

 

lol. I actually sold about 25 paintings and prints yesterday to a lady who sold everything in her house that reminded her of her ex husband and wanted all new for $2,000!
She gave me a $400 deposit and is coming back to pick up the art + she saw a lot of knick knacks she wants - so now I have room and money to look for new bikes!

 

If I'm wrong it won't be the first time. I'm actually irked at myself for giving back $200 for it - I did a quick search while he was loading art he bought and thought the signature I saw matched.

 

I’m sorry you blew $200 on it too but hopefully you’ll make it up on something else. We went through this once on the Vuitton cap so I know you’re not going to destroy the painting but you really should try to carefully remove the sig and sell it as a decorative work after you’re convinced that it’s a forgery.

Your painting was made to deceive (and badly at that) as are countless works every day. Johns is an abstract expressionist who added popular imagery to his works and your painting does not display his technique in any shape, way or form.

I would assume those who donate their time here wish spectacular finds for all but they should also expect honest responses when they post pieces they’ve picked up.

Just read that you already did make it up-good to hear!

 

You can see the rounded-ness and smoothness of the J’s in Jasper and Johns on the real signature for starters..