Ensemble
Yves Klein's use of the nude female body as a "human brush" for his Anthropométries series in 1960 broke out of the mold of academic painting traditions and brought to life a performative, embodied type of painting which celebrated the vitality of human life through its use of color. Klein's conduction of his models and control over their movements during these performances has been criticized as a reinforcement of patriarchical values, through the unbalanced power relation between artist and model. Phoebe Philo's overlayering of the female body with a print of the female body on a dress, shifts this power balance in an act of reappropriation.
Artwork Details
- Title: Ensemble
- Design House: Céline (French, founded 1945)
- Designer: Phoebe Philo (born 1973)
- Artist: (print) Yves Klein (French, Nice 1928–1962 Paris)
- Date: spring/summer 2017
- Culture: French
- Medium: ramie, synthetic (viscose and lycra), cottton, leather
- Credit Line: Gift of Celine, 2023
- Object Number: 2023.371a–d
- Curatorial Department: The Costume Institute
More Artwork
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.