Bernard Aubertin (1934-2015) - Rouge Total

Bernard Aubertin – Rouge Total

Artist: Bernard Aubertin (1934–2015)
Title: Rouge Total
Technique: material painting on a rigid support
Dimensions: 95 × 54.8 cm
Provenance: Galleria d’Arte del Naviglio, Via Manzoni 45, Milan
Authenticity: work catalogued at the Bernard Aubertin Archive

Important work by Bernard Aubertin, belonging to his famous exploration of the Rouge Total theme, one of the most recognizable and significant nuclei of the French artist’s production.

The surface of the work is entirely dominated by red, but far from the simple idea of a two‑dimensional monochrome: Aubertin intervenes directly on the pictorial matter creating a dense succession of reliefs, spatulas and grooves that traverse the surface in different directions. Light is thus captured by the variations of the material, transforming the red into a dynamic and vibrant surface.

This exploration of red began in the late fifties and became one of the founding elements of Aubertin’s poetics. The artist conceives red as an absolute color, unbound from representation, in accordance with a conception of art linked to contemplation and to the “pictorial silence.” (archiviobernardaubertin)

The work is accompanied by an important original label from Galleria d’Arte del Naviglio of Milan, affixed to the back, on which the artist’s name, the title Rouge Total and the dimensions 95 × 54.8 cm are handwritten. The presence of the label from the historic Milan gallery constitutes a meaningful provenance and documentation element.

The work is also catalogued at the Bernard Aubertin Archive, a factor supporting its authenticity and correct attribution.

A work of strong visual impact, particularly representative of Aubertin’s exploration of red, matter and surface, suitable for both a private collection and a collection dedicated to European postwar art and to experiences related to the poetics of the Zero Group.