Yves Klein was the most influential, prominent and controversial French artist to emerge in the 1950s, chiefly noted for artwork in his patented rich ultramarine pigment, International Klein Blue (IKB). Inspired by his studies and travels through Europe, Klein created his version of La Victoire de Samothrace (Winged Victory of Samothrace), also known as the Nike of Samothrace, a marble sculpture from the Hellenistic period of 2nd century BC. One of the most celebrated sculptures in history and a staple in the Louvre collection since 1884, the work commemorates the triumph of a naval victory in the 2nd Century. The sculpture depicts a dramatic moment of action and triumph through its forceful sense movement and billowing drapery. In 1962, Yves Klein, who is recognized for his signature blue monochrome paintings, produced a series of works that appropriated famous sculptures in history and rendered them in his patented “International Klein Blue” pigment, most notably the exquisite La Victoire de Samothrace.