Last updated: 27 October 2026
Yves Klein is the French artist best known for his deep blue monochrome paintings. Here you will find our take on his work, where to see it in the UK, and a blue paint made in its spirit.
Our take on Yves Klein
Klein made paintings of a single colour, and from 1957 worked mainly in a deep ultramarine blue. Tate describes him as “chiefly noted for his blue monochrome paintings and for his audacious experiments with new techniques and new attitudes to art.”
He also made gold-leaf monogolds, fire paintings and the Anthropométries, made by a model pressing her paint-covered body against the canvas under his direction. His career was short: he died in Paris of a heart attack in 1962, aged 34.
Tate holds IKB 79 (1959), one of his blue monochromes. We found no Klein prints at UK museum shops.
Yves Klein: the essentials
- Born in Nice in 1928; both his parents were painters, according to Tate.
- Lived in Japan in 1952 and 1953 and became expert at judo, which he later taught in Spain and Paris.
- Held his first public solo show at the Galerie des Solitaires, Paris, in 1955.
- From 1957 worked mainly in blue, and from 1960 made monogolds in gold leaf.
- A member of the Nouveaux Réalistes from 1960, with Arman, Raysse, Spoerri and Tinguely.
- Died in Paris in 1962, aged 34.
Yves Klein in the UK
- Tate holds IKB 79 (1959). Check Tate’s artist page for what is on display.
- We found no current Yves Klein exhibition in the UK.
Where to buy Yves Klein
We found no Yves Klein prints or editions at UK museum shops. Original works sell through auction houses and galleries.
- Easy Klein paint, from £29.99: not by Klein, but Stuart Semple’s super-matte blue acrylic. See our Easy Klein page.
Yves Klein FAQs
What did Yves Klein paint?
Monochromes, mostly in deep ultramarine blue from 1957, plus gold-leaf monogolds, fire paintings and the Anthropométries.
When did Yves Klein die?
In Paris in 1962, aged 34, of a heart attack, according to Tate.
Does Tate own a Yves Klein?
Yes. Tate holds IKB 79 (1959), one of his blue monochromes.
Can I buy a Yves Klein print in the UK?
We found none at UK museum shops. Original works sell through auction houses and galleries.
More from CoolCuration
- Easy Klein paint: Stuart Semple’s super-matte blue acrylic.
- Anish Kapoor at the Hayward review: colour and scale at the Southbank.
- Great Art Explained: James Payne’s guide to how famous works were made.
- Best affordable art in the UK: where to start collecting prints and editions.
Think we’re missing something, got something wrong, or want to be featured? Contact us.
Main image: Yves Klein, IKB 79, 1959. Image courtesy Tate. Framed by CoolCuration. Exhibition dates and prices last checked: 27 October 2026.
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