In the late 1950s, the French artist Yves Klein introduced his iconic ‘International Klein Blue’, using it to paint surfaces and shapes in a monochrome style. He had effectively reinvented ultramarine. For his ‘Anthropometries’, he coated naked women in his ultramarine blue and rolled the models across his canvas. The elements of nature also formed a source of inspiration for his ‘Cosmogonies’ and ‘Tableau de feu’. Everything in his work revolves around power, emotion and experience. A statement that became perfectly clear with ‘Le Vide’, an empty exhibition hall in 1958 where the experience of his presence embodied the sense of art. Yves Klein, the minimalist artist who emphasised the timeless beauty of the pigment, died at the age of just 34.

‘Vive la mi maman!!!’ is an exceptional work for Yves Klein. In 1956, he chose the colour red for this piece, which is unexpected from an artist who had a patent on the colour blue. His depiction of a colourful flower arose from his love for his mother, Marie Raymond. She was an artist, but also a muse and a source of support for his career. They shared an interest in the Rosicrucians, a spiritual movement that gave rise to a secret brotherhood.