Paul Klee

Swiss, 1879 - 1940

Swiss-German painter Paul Klee was a pioneer of abstraction who experimented with cubism, surrealism, and expressionism. Klee was born in Switzerland in 1879. His parents were musicians, and an early interest in music influenced his artistic career.

In 1906, Klee moved to Munich, where he joined German expressionist collective Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider). The painter cultivated a signature style: he used bright colors and geometric shapes to produce fantastical works with a surrealist quality.

In the early 1920s, Klee joined the faculty at the Bauhaus, an iconic German school of art and design. In 1933, he left Germany to escape the growing influence of the Nazi Party, returning to his native Switzerland. The artist lived there until his death in 1940.

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This painting displays geometric shapes with soft edges. In the center is a form resembling a white house, with a large red triangular shape at the top and smaller beige rectangles that could be windows. To the right are vertical green lines that could be trees and a red rectangle that might be another structure. At the bottom of the painting are dark brown and blue squares, and at the top is an area with light blue and pink coloring. The paint has been applied lightly and unevenly, leaving areas where the brown background is visible. “
Paul Klee, New House in the Suburbs, 1924, gouache on canvas, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 1983.1.22

New House in the Suburbs

Paul Klee · 1924 · gouache on canvas ·  Accession ID  1983.1.22
The image displays bold, black lines forming abstract shapes on a light background. The lines create various curves and angles. A circle with a thick outline is the central feature, flanked by extending lines. Below the primary design, a series of small black dots are arranged in a horizontal line.
Paul Klee, Rechts unfreundlich (Right Unfriendly), 1940, brush and dry pigment mixed with paste, Gift of The Judith Rothschild Foundation, 2007.108.2

Rechts unfreundlich (Right Unfriendly)

Paul Klee · 1940 · brush and dry pigment mixed with paste ·  Accession ID  2007.108.2
The image displays bold, curving lines and blocky forms in an abstract composition. These shapes resemble a human face with a nose and lips, giving the impression of a bearded figure. Various colors such as blue, grey, red, and green are used in large sections to create a patchwork effect. The arrangement suggests the outline of a head with a turban or headscarf, set against a segmented landscape background.
Paul Klee, Baroque Centaur (Barocker Kentaur), 1939, gouache on laid paper, Gift of Benjamin and Lillian Hertzberg, 2004.140.11

Baroque Centaur (Barocker Kentaur)

Paul Klee · 1939 · gouache on laid paper ·  Accession ID  2004.140.11
The image features swirling lines and dotted patterns in an abstract composition. There are curved shapes on the left side, teardrop and question-mark-like motifs on the upper right, and a heart-like shape at the center filled with round, purple forms. Yellow tear-shaped elements are also present.
Paul Klee, Die Schale des Herzens (Chalice of the Heart), 1937, gouache, Gift of Mrs. John Alexander Pope, 2002.88.1

Die Schale des Herzens (Chalice of the Heart)

Paul Klee · 1937 · gouache ·  Accession ID  2002.88.1
A horizontally oriented sheet of paper is entirely painted with a patchwork of rectangular, upright dashes in vivid watercolor. The hulls and sails of boats are outlined in olive green, brown, or brick red. A thick-hulled boat is to the left, and a cluster of intersecting and nested sails are to the right. The colors of the dashes change within and outside of the drawn lines. The dashes across the water are cobalt and ultramarine blue, and across the sky, dashes are shades of pink, red, and purple. Washes of pale blue and yellow create a background. The artist signed the top left corner, “Klee.”
Paul Klee, Dampfer und Segelbōte (Dredger and Sailboat), 1931, watercolor on laid paper, on Klee's original mount, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 1983.1.93

Dampfer und Segelbōte (Dredger and Sailboat)

Paul Klee · 1931 · watercolor on laid paper, on Klee's original mount ·  Accession ID  1983.1.93
The image displays curving, fluid lines that intertwine and overlap to create an abstract design. The shapes resemble coral or botanical forms with branching structures, suggesting the natural world. In the background, a gradient of stippled dots transitions from dark to light, adding depth and texture. These abstract forms suggest natural growth and complexity.
Paul Klee, Never Ending, 1930, etching on cream board, Gift of Ruth Cole Kainen, 2012.92.309

Never Ending

Paul Klee · 1930 · etching on cream board ·  Accession ID  2012.92.309
This image displays a stylized line drawing of a person's head in profile, facing left, with their hand positioned near the mouth. The depiction is abstract, with the head outlined in simple lines. No distinct facial features such as eyes, nose, or mouth are depicted in detail; instead, they are represented schematically with circular shapes for eyes and a curved line for the mouth. The hair is not visible, and there is no indication of texture. The figure's neck leads to one visible hand with fingers extended. The background consists of horizontal lines that run parallel across the image. The drawing, signed 'Klee' in the bottom right corner, is set against a light-colored backdrop, providing contrast to the darker lines of the drawing.
Paul Klee, Old Man Reckoning (Rechnender Greis), 1929, etching, Rosenwald Collection, 1950.17.201

Old Man Reckoning (Rechnender Greis)

Paul Klee · 1929 · etching ·  Accession ID  1950.17.201
The image shows a line drawing of a stylized profile view of a person. The figure is facing left with a slightly downward head tilt and a hand raised to the mouth. The facial features are simple with large circular eyes, a prominent nose, and bald head. The ears are depicted as curves and the clothing as diagonal lines. The background features horizontal lines for texture.
Paul Klee, Old Man Reckoning (Rechnender Greis), 1929, etching in black on japan paper, Gift of Frank R. and Jeannette H. Eyerly, in Honor of the 50th Anniversary of the National Gallery of Art, 1991.157.1

Old Man Reckoning (Rechnender Greis)

Paul Klee · 1929 · etching in black on japan paper ·  Accession ID  1991.157.1
The image is composed of intersecting lines and geometric shapes. In the center, a large circular shape is intersected by lines, resembling a stick figure. A triangular shape connects to this form, while lines beneath suggest a ladder. Around the central figure, there are more abstract elements like grid-like patterns and branching shapes. The background is filled with horizontal lines.
Paul Klee, Height! (Höhe!), 1928, etching in black on japan paper, Rosenwald Collection, 1950.17.200

Height! (Höhe!)

Paul Klee · 1928 · etching in black on japan paper ·  Accession ID  1950.17.200
The image shows a composition of abstract shapes and lines on a textured background. Circular, rectangular, and triangular forms are scattered across the scene. The arrangement includes vibrant squares and rectangles in purple, yellow, and black. A bold black arrow points towards the left.
Paul Klee, Rote Säulen vorbeiziehend (Passing By Red Pillars), 1928, palette knife with color gesso, watercolor, stamped gouache, and casein on paper, on artist's original mount, Collection of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Mellon, 2006.128.23

Rote Säulen vorbeiziehend (Passing By Red Pillars)

Paul Klee · 1928 · palette knife with color gesso, watercolor, stamped gouache, and casein on paper, on artist's original mount ·  Accession ID  2006.128.23

Bibliography

1998

  • Helfenstein, Josef, and Christian Rumelin, eds. Paul Klee: Catalogue Raisonné. 9 vols. Bern, 2000.