A seminal work by Bernard Aubertin from the iconic Tableau Clous series, created in 1969, representing one of the most radical and conceptually rigorous statements of post-war European avant-garde art. The composition is formed by evenly driven metal nails fixed into a wooden panel and entirely covered with a saturated red acrylic surface. The resulting structure establishes a strict rhythmic grid in which the conventional distinction between painting and relief, surface and volume, is fundamentally dissolved.
The rejection of the painterly brushstroke is central to Aubertin’s practice. The artist replaces subjective gesture with an industrial, repetitive act, pursuing the absolute depersonalisation of authorship. Light, shadow and depth between the nails become active compositional elements, while the red colour functions not as an emotional accent but as an absolute field in which form is absorbed. The austere black frame reinforces the sculptural presence of the work and intensifies the optical immersion into its pulsating textured surface.
Marks: On the reverse – artist’s signature Bernard Aubertin, dated “1969”, authenticity confirmation from the BS Archive.
Dimensions: 50 × 50 cm.
Material: Wooden panel, metal nails, acrylic paint.
Condition: Excellent condition. Minimal traces of natural ageing consistent with the materials, without impact on visual integrity.
Provenance: Officially registered in the Bernard Aubertin Archive (BS). Accompanied by a declaration of authenticity confirmed by the artist based on photographic documentation.
Bernard Aubertin stands as a central figure of the European Neo-Avant-Garde and one of the most consistent representatives of monochrome practice associated with the ZERO movement. Founded in the late 1950s, ZERO sought a “zero point” in art, rejecting traditional painting, emotional expression and subjective authorship in favour of light, structure, rhythm and pure perception. Within this framework, the Clous series became Aubertin’s most radical and defining artistic statement.
Initiated in the late 1950s, the nail works fundamentally redefined the nature of the pictorial surface. The nail, stripped of decorative value and associated with industrial reality, is transformed into a universal module that structures space and generates optical rhythm. Aubertin’s use of red carries a specific philosophical dimension: for the artist, red was not symbolic or expressive, but an absolute substance capable of absorbing form and neutralising subjective perception.
By 1969, the period in which this work was created, the Tableau Clous series had reached full conceptual maturity. Works from this phase are characterised by extreme formal discipline, precise rhythmic calibration and an almost architectural logic of surface construction. Aubertin’s works from this period are held in major museum collections, including the Centre Pompidou, the Stedelijk Museum and Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, and are regularly featured in leading international exhibitions and auctions.
This work represents a characteristic and rare example of the mature phase of the Clous series, positioned at the intersection of painting, relief and object, and embodying the fundamental artistic investigations of the second half of the twentieth century in its pursuit of absolute form and colour.
Overall condition is excellent. The surface is stable, the paint layer is uniform, and the nails are firmly secured. Minor age-related traces are consistent with the date of execution and do not affect the aesthetic or collectible value of the work.
The condition report is provided for informational purposes only.
It is not comprehensive and may not reflect all defects, restorations, alterations, or adaptations, as Antiqon does not perform professional conservation-level assessments. The information is based on a qualified, yet subjective, evaluation by our specialists.Before purchasing, we recommend consultation with an independent expert.Please also consult our Terms and conditions and Glossary A-Z, which contain important information on lot characteristics and sale conditions.
