Artwork
Collection of Figurines
Collection of Figurines is an oil painting by Paul Klee. It dates from 1926 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
By presenting the figures as a "collection," Klee invites reflection on the typology of the human form within his broader painterly vocabulary.
Collection of Figurines is an oil painting by Paul Klee in which the central subject is the human figure. According to the cataloguing record for the work, the depiction centers on a human figure rendered in oil on canvas, with Klee arranging multiple such figures into a collected, ensemble-like composition. The title itself emphasizes this grouping, presenting the figures not as isolated portraits but as a gathered set, suggesting an interest in the variety and recurrence of human forms rather than in any single individual.
The work's meaning lies in this focus on figuration as a recurring motif, treating the human figure as a modular element that can be assembled, compared, and contemplated. By presenting the figures as a "collection," Klee invites reflection on the typology of the human form within his broader painterly vocabulary.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1926, this work by Paul Klee is an oil painting on canvas. The piece measures 26.7 cm in height and 24.8 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition focuses on the depiction of human figures, aligning with its classification as a painting within the artist's oeuvre. The application of oil paint on a woven support defines the material presence of the object.
History & Provenance
The work titled Collection of Figurines is an oil painting on canvas created by the Swiss-German artist Paul Klee in 1926. The piece depicts human figures and measures 26.7 cm in height by 24.8 cm in width. It currently resides in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it is held as part of their permanent holdings.
No specific details regarding the original commission, previous ownership chains, or the specific circumstances of its creation beyond the year of inception are provided in the available records.
Context
The collection of figurines by Paul Klee, painted in 1926 using oil on canvas, reflects his exploration of simplified human forms within the broader evolution of modernist abstraction. Klee's work during this period, rooted in his dual engagement with expressionist traditions and Bauhaus pedagogy, emphasized symbolic representation over naturalistic depiction, aligning with contemporaneous shifts toward structural experimentation in European painting. The piece is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where its formal composition and thematic focus on archetypal figures continue to inform scholarly discussions of Klee's synthesis of spiritual motifs and geometric clarity.
Legacy
The figurative motifs within this early modern work have been cited by later scholars as contributing to Klee's evolving visual language of abstraction rooted in organic forms. Art historians note its role in shaping approaches to symbolic representation in mid-century modernist painting, particularly in educational contexts emphasizing childlike spontaneity. The piece remains part of major museum collections, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art, ensuring continued scholarly attention to Klee's synthesis of figuration and abstraction.
Overview
Created in 1926, Collection of Figurines is an oil painting by Paul Klee that now belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work presents a lively assemblage of abstracted human forms rendered in vivid hues, set against a dark ground that heightens their visual impact.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Artist
Paul Klee (German:; 18 December 1879 – 29 June 1940) was a Swiss-born German artist.
