Photo: Courtesy of 1stDibs
This iconic cocktail table was done by Yves Klein, one of the most influential, prominent, and controversial French artists to emerge in the 1950s, also known as a forerunner of Minimal art as well as Pop art. Klein’s table is similar to his suspended pigment pieces, which were the genesis for this design. The form of the table is very simple, very elegant, and meant really to disappear. The pigment is all. And since the pigment is loose, it does invite comparison to Klein’s belief in pure space. The eye penetrates what seems to be a limitless depth. Yves Klein is remembered above all for his use of a single colour, the rich shade of ultramarine that he made his own: International Klein Blue. His table has become one of the most iconic and recognisable pieces of furniture transcending into art of the 20th and 21st centuries. — Gilles Clement, Gilles Clement Designs