Artwork
Virgin (dreaming)
Virgin (dreaming) is an ink painting by the Art Brut artist Paul Klee. It dates from 1903 and is held in the collection of the Kunstmuseum Basel.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1903, Virgin (dreaming) is an early etching by Paul Klee, the Swiss‑born artist who later worked in Germany. The work belongs to Klee’s formative period, when he was exploring printmaking and developing a personal visual language that would later combine elements of expressionism, cubism and surrealism.
Subject & Meaning
The image presents a nude female figure seated on a tree root, her legs folded and arms extended, head turned as if lost in reverie. Surrounding foliage and a few birds suggest a natural setting, while the figure’s relaxed posture conveys a quiet, contemplative atmosphere that hints at an inner dream state.
Technique & Style
Klee employed a combination of etching, drypoint and aquatint to achieve varied line quality and tonal depth. The drypoint lines provide fine, delicate edges, whereas the aquatint washes introduce soft, atmospheric tones that model the figure and background, creating a subtle sense of space and texture.
History & Provenance
The etching dates from Klee’s early career, prior to his involvement with the Bauhaus and before his mature synthesis of modernist styles. It reflects his participation in the broader art brut tendency that valued unrefined, spontaneous expression, a concern that would inform his later work.
Context
At the turn of the twentieth century, Klee was experimenting with various print techniques while studying at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. Virgin (dreaming) exemplifies his interest in merging figurative subjects with abstracted, dream‑like qualities, a hallmark of his subsequent artistic development.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Paul Klee (German:; 18 December 1879 – 29 June 1940) was a Swiss-born German artist.
