Ben Vautier, the prince of ego, was a leading representative of the Neo-dadaist movement Fluxus, first theorized by George Maciunas. Starting in the '50s, the artist began to come into contact with artists like Marcel Duchamp and Yves Klein. It is in this period that he becomes convinced of the absolute predominance of the signature with respect to the work of art. In the wake of this process he creates a series of textual paintings that reflect on the nature of art and of the artist.

The twelve paintings are mainly composed of textual statements written in white over a black background. Through these aphorisms the artist relates to a multitude of different topics. These assertions, which always refer to inquiries about art and the ego, are exposed to public attention, hence becoming the engine of the work itself.