Yves Klein

Mo-art Gallery, Amsterdam
Private Collection, Amsterdam

Colours: The colours in the catalogue are fairly accurate, although the overall tonality is deeper and richer, with the blue is the yves klein blue (IKB) and with the pink tending more towards light fluor pink, with the gold tending more towards darker yellow gold Condition: This work is in very good condition. Upon close inspection the blue piece has a few soft surface scratches and some very minor spots of dirt. There is a small media accretion to one of the corners. Some minor surface scratches are visible on the gold piece. Some soft discolouration tending towards more yellowish gold along the extreme edges. Minor spots of gold loss is inherent to the medium. Upon close inspection a small spot of indentation of approximately 1 cm. in the center of the pink piece is only visible under raking light. All three pieces show some light dentation at the extreme edges possibly due to earlier framing
"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. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

"In Krefeld's exhibition, besides the title "Monochrome und Feuer", and the effective setting of the fire outside the museum, Yves Klein's aim was to emphasize the separation between three colours in space ...

Further to this, what is visually demonstrated becomes equally interesting as what couldn't be showed: the following steps represent the artist's will to reproduce each type of work executed in three colours also including the difficulties, probably due to short timing, he encoutered to accomplish the work.
The unfinished triptych projects are not merely linked to the Krefeld's exhibition. Rotraut Klein Moquay remembers more of these and the Klein archives keep fundamental documents, that prove it, like the following undated text (probably taken from similar projects written on nature by Zero Group, certainly inspired by the large areas located on the western coast, this document seems almost foreseeing)

I will buy a rectangle of land, 2000 square kilometer, in the middle of an immense flat desert. four straight roads will be built on this area, one will be immaterial the others will be Blue, Gold and Pink. All the four straight roads signifying these different civilizations will lead to the very centre of the rectangle where my White bed, four metres large and five metres long, will be positioned. Around this land a rectangular and unreachable ditch will be excavated. Above this ditch, 40 kilometres long, a Blue rising brigde will be built, bridge standing up all the time, exactly where it meets the straight road.

Another 50 kilometre ditch will be excavated and a golden rising bridge will be over it right in the middle while another ditch 40 kilometres long will be crossed by a Pink rising bridge and the last side will have an immaterial ditch along it. All workers will go mad and will walk into the desert, nobody will ever be able to find out where the immaterial side is located.

I will live my life lying in a bed with the world's most beautiful women."

(cit. in Camille Morineau, Le bleu, l'or et le rose: comment appropriation rime avec sublimation, exhibition catalogue, Paris 2006, p. 161)