Why this 'blank' canvas could fetch $1.5 million at a European art auction

The General 52" x 52" is painted in white enamel and enamelac paints. (Image: @InfinitusCap/X)

A blank canvas with a hidden depth, valued at over $1.5 million, will be up for bidding at a Berlin auction this week. Robert Ryman's 1970 piece, titled General 52" x 52", may seem like a mere white canvas at first glance, but its subtle intricacies and materiality are far from ordinary. The piece, which will be sold at Ketterer Kunst auction house on December 6 and 7, embodies Ryman's minimalist approach and invites viewers into a debate on the very essence of art.

Ryman, who passed away in 2019, was known for his bold use of stark white, creating works that often left audiences questioning their own interpretations of what constitutes art. The General 52" x 52" is painted in white enamel and enamelac paints—materials typically used for metal surfaces.

This choice of medium gives the canvas a delicate nature, one so sensitive that the piece cannot be transported for viewing ahead of the auction, according to Ketterer Kunst.

"The material is very sensitive and the smallest traces in the flawless surface would immediately reduce the value of the work significantly," said the auction house in a statement. "That’s why we are not sending it on a journey."

Though the work may look blank, it challenges the viewer to find meaning. “White is not always white. The white color makes light, movement, and the structure of the material visible,” said Simone Wichmann, an expert at Ketterer Kunst.

She went on to explain that Ryman’s piece transforms the viewer into the creator of the art. "The viewer is challenged," she said, "and becomes the creator of the art."

Ryman’s minimalist works, while controversial, have garnered considerable attention and significant sales, including pieces that have fetched millions. Despite having no formal art training—Ryman was a self-taught artist who worked as a security guard at the Museum of Modern Art in New York—he is widely recognized for his thought-provoking creations.

This auction comes on the heels of other provocative works that have sparked public debate. Just last month, Maurizio Cattelan’s Comedian, a banana duct-taped to a wall, sold for $6.2 million, only to be eaten by the buyer, a crypto entrepreneur.