1984.315.57

1938 · Gouache on newsprint mounted on cardboard · Paul Klee
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See it in a room

Comedians' Handbill by Paul Klee, shown at 28 × 42 in (71.1 × 106.7 cm) in Arber Light Walnut, dining
Shown at 28 × 42 in (71.1 × 106.7 cm) in Arber Light Walnut · Dining
Comedians' Handbill by Paul Klee, shown at 28 × 42 in (71.1 × 106.7 cm) in Arber Light Walnut, living
Shown at 28 × 42 in (71.1 × 106.7 cm) in Arber Light Walnut · Living room
Comedians' Handbill by Paul Klee, shown at 28 × 42 in (71.1 × 106.7 cm) in Arber Light Walnut, restaurant
Shown at 28 × 42 in (71.1 × 106.7 cm) in Arber Light Walnut · Restaurant
1984.315.57

Artist

Paul Klee was a Swiss-born German artist celebrated for his imaginative approach to color, form, and abstraction. Deeply influenced by music, poetry, and modern art movements including Expressionism, Cubism, and Surrealism, Klee developed a highly personal visual language that blended playful symbolism with intellectual depth. Born near Bern, Switzerland, to a musical family, he was an accomplished violinist before choosing painting as his primary vocation.Klee became associated with the influential Der Blaue Reiter circle alongside Wassily Kandinsky and later taught at the groundbreaking Bauhaus from 1921 to 1931. His 1914 trip to Tunisia transformed his understanding of color, leading him toward increasingly abstract compositions. Klee worked across many media, creating paintings, drawings, prints, and theoretical writings that explored the emotional and spiritual qualities of art. His works often combined geometric shapes, delicate lines, whimsical figures, and subtle humor. Despite persecution by the Nazis, who labeled his work “degenerate,” Klee remained remarkably productive throughout his life, producing thousands of artworks that continue to influence modern and contemporary art.

Where it works

A warm-toned figure study suited to living rooms, in a vertical format.

CreatorPaul Klee
Year1938
MediumGouache on newsprint mounted on cardboard
Original dimensions21 1/2 x 14 1/4 in.
SKUmmoa0060_frgc_1421
Archive IDrs:100:61034

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Berggruen Klee Collection, 1984, 1984.315.57