One Who Understands by Paul Klee

Paul Klee · 1934-01-01

Paul Klee's *One Who Understands*, 1934, in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. Klee created this abstract piece using gypsum, a material he later famously described as a 'cheating medium.'

Look for the simple oval outline of a head, with stark black circles for eyes. The ochre paint provides a textured ground, over which thin red lines create a graphic structure. Klee's own signature and the date are subtly inscribed.

Klee, a Swiss-born German artist, was influenced by Expressionism, Cubism, and Surrealism. His written theories on form and color are as important as Leonardo's. He and Kandinsky taught at the Bauhaus.

This work reflects Klee's playful humor and his childlike perspective on the world.

Details

Klee wrote about color theory extensively.

These red lines build a graphic structure.

Transcript

This form suggests a listening head. Two dark eyes are set inside. Klee wrote about color theory extensively. He called gypsum a 'cheating medium'. These red lines build a graphic structure. He wrote 'Klee' here in 1934.