Presentation

Yves Klein is a French visual artist who was born in Nice on 28th April 1928 and died in Paris on 6th July 1962. Coming from a family of artists, he did not intend to become an artist and studied to become an officer of the merchant navy. From 1948 until 1952 he made numerous trips; to Europe but mainly to Japan, where he developed a passion for judo and became a 4th dan black belt. In 1955 he even created his own judo school which would close a year later due to financial difficulties. A self-taught artist, he began painting monochromes in the late 1940s.

In 1956, he created International Klein Blue (IKB); the famous “Klein blue", a shade which to him represented the most perfect expression of blue. The same year, his reputation began to grow thanks to the exhibition “Yves, Propositions monochromes" in Paris. Then he presented “Proposte monochrome, epoca blu" in Milan, an exhibition composed of eleven identical blue paintings.

He has become world-renowned and is considered one of the fathers of New Realism with Arman and Pierre Restany. He has experimented with many techniques, including “living brushes", where models covered in paint were applied directly to the canvas to create an artwork during a public performance. From 1961, he started a series of fire paintings with the aim of printing the traces of fire onto different supports. His works are often ephemeral: releasing Klein blue balloons, or a gallery painted entirely blue… His material works are only the surface of his approach, they highlight the invisible, the immaterial. 

He introduced two new colors in addition to blue in his work: pink and gold. The union of his three colors together in a work seeks to connect the body and the spirit. This semi-religious iconography is intended to allow each of us to explore the unknown beyond.

Despite a very short career, today he is considered one of the greatest representatives of French and international contemporary art. Not hesitating to perform in his art, Yves Klein himself participates in the construction of his legend, as evidenced by his collaboration with numerous photographers and directors. Furthermore, in addition to an exceptional œuvre, he leaves behind a large number of astutely written works.


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All artworks of Yves Klein
Design, Table Monopink, Yves Klein

Table Monopink

Yves Klein

Design - 37.5 x 125 x 100 cm

$28,528

Print, Peintures Chez Iris Clert, 1957, Yves Klein

Peintures Chez Iris Clert, 1957

Yves Klein

Print - 54.6 x 38.1 cm

$3,850

Sculpture, L'ours Pompon - Edition Yves Klein, Yves Klein

L'ours Pompon - Edition Yves Klein

Yves Klein

Sculpture - 27 x 49 x 19 cm

$10,132

Design, Table IKB, Yves Klein

Table IKB

Yves Klein

Design - 37.5 x 125 x 100 cm

$27,849

Design, Table Monogold, Yves Klein

Table Monogold

Yves Klein

Design - 37.5 x 125 x 100 cm

$38,037

Design, Table d'Or, Yves Klein

Table d'Or

Yves Klein

Design - 37.5 x 100 x 126 cm

$30,566

Design, Monochrome IKB, Yves Klein

Monochrome IKB

Yves Klein

Design - 35 x 125 x 100 cm

$28,868

Sculpture, L’Ours Pompon édition Yves Klein - Épreuve d'Artiste + édition papier offerte, Yves Klein

L’Ours Pompon édition Yves Klein - Épreuve d'Artiste + édition papier offerte

Yves Klein

Sculpture - 27 x 49 x 19 cm

$14,151

Sculpture, Petite Vénus bleue, Yves Klein

Petite Vénus bleue

Yves Klein

Sculpture - 6.2 x 2.4 x 0.1 cm

$9,056

Sculpture, S9 - Victoire de Samothrace, Yves Klein

S9 - Victoire de Samothrace

Yves Klein

Sculpture - 49 x 27.5 x 25 cm

Price upon request

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Who is the artist?

Yves Klein is a French visual artist who was born in Nice on 28th April 1928 and died in Paris on 6th July 1962. Coming from a family of artists, he did not intend to become an artist and studied to become an officer of the merchant navy. From 1948 until 1952 he made numerous trips; to Europe but mainly to Japan, where he developed a passion for judo and became a 4th dan black belt. In 1955 he even created his own judo school which would close a year later due to financial difficulties. A self-taught artist, he began painting monochromes in the late 1940s.

In 1956, he created International Klein Blue (IKB); the famous “Klein blue", a shade which to him represented the most perfect expression of blue. The same year, his reputation began to grow thanks to the exhibition “Yves, Propositions monochromes" in Paris. Then he presented “Proposte monochrome, epoca blu" in Milan, an exhibition composed of eleven identical blue paintings.

He has become world-renowned and is considered one of the fathers of New Realism with Arman and Pierre Restany. He has experimented with many techniques, including “living brushes", where models covered in paint were applied directly to the canvas to create an artwork during a public performance. From 1961, he started a series of fire paintings with the aim of printing the traces of fire onto different supports. His works are often ephemeral: releasing Klein blue balloons, or a gallery painted entirely blue… His material works are only the surface of his approach, they highlight the invisible, the immaterial. 

He introduced two new colors in addition to blue in his work: pink and gold. The union of his three colors together in a work seeks to connect the body and the spirit. This semi-religious iconography is intended to allow each of us to explore the unknown beyond.

Despite a very short career, today he is considered one of the greatest representatives of French and international contemporary art. Not hesitating to perform in his art, Yves Klein himself participates in the construction of his legend, as evidenced by his collaboration with numerous photographers and directors. Furthermore, in addition to an exceptional œuvre, he leaves behind a large number of astutely written works.

What is Yves Klein’s artistic movement?

The artistic movements of the artists are: Performing Artists, Neo-Dada, Post-War Art

When was Yves Klein born?

The year of birth of the artist is: 1928