PAUL KLEE (Münchenbuchsee 1879–1940 Muralto) Der Fürst und seine Stadt (The prince and his city). 1925. Watercolour and ink on paper, partly with splashing. Signed lower centre: Klee. Dated and inscribed on the artists board lower left: 1925 V.7, and titled lower right: Der Fürst und seine Stadt. 34.1 × 24.2 on 49.2 × 34.2 cm (artists board). Provenance: - Rudolf Probst (Galerie Neue Kunst Fides/ Das Kunsthaus), Dresden/Mannheim, 1926–30. - Lily Klee, Bern, 1940–45. - Galerie Rosengart, Lucerne, 1945. - Robert Vatter collection, Bern, 1945–92. - Robert Vatter estate, Bern, 1992–98. - Swiss private collection. Exhibited: - Prague 1926, Drei Ausstellungen: I. Jarsov Veris, Paris Bilder und Zeichnungen II. Paul Klee, München 60 Aquarelle III. Bernhard Reder, Rum?nien farbige Zeichnungen, Kunstverein für B?hmen / Künstlerhaus Rudolfinium-Parlament, 27.2.–14.3.1926, no. 2. - Dresden 1926, Paul Klee, Galerie Neue Kunst Fides, 21.5.–30.06.1926, no. 63. - Brussels 1928, Paul Klee. 40 Aquarelles, Galerie LEpoque, M?rz–April 1928, no. 18. - Bern 1935, Paul Klee, Kunsthalle Bern, 3.2.–24.3.1935, no. 114. - Luzern 1945, Paul Klee zum Ged?chtnis, Galerie Rosengart, 15.7.–15.9.1945, no. 17 (with stamp and label on the reverse). Literature: Paul-Klee-Stiftung und Kunstmuseum Bern (ed.): Catalogue raisonné Paul Klee, Bern 2000, vol. 4 (1923–1926), p. 382, no. 3898 (with ill.). From early on, architectural motifs formed a constant in Paul Klees diverse oeuvre. His fascination with architecture originated during his travels to Italy, where he was able to admire the ancient structures, as well as on his legendary trip to Tunisia in 1914 with Louis Moillet and August Macke, during which he became acquainted with the Islamic (building) culture. The present arrangement of faceted architectural elements, brickwork, roofs and housing complexes, together with the oversized anthropomorphic figure at the left edge of the city, illustrates an interlocking of narrative elements. Through his inventive compositions, Klee developed his own eclectic metaverse, which allowed a versatile and witty interpenetration of forms and ideas. A multi-layered semantic field opens up to the viewer, which not only permits multiple interpretations, but almost encourages them. The reformulation of existing architectural forms attests to his engagement with Cubism and Constructivism. Some of his most important influences stemmed from his activities at the Bauhaus. Nevertheless, Klee often mocked the rationality that dominated at the Bauhaus by ironically employing it for the construction of the fantastical and developing illogical, irrational structures. Combining his fascination for the utopian designs of Expressionist architecture, Klee thus created his own individual architectural style. By spraying the paint onto the paper in a manner dissociated from the pictorial content, Klee gave the figures and architectural elements a sense of detachment from time and space. Gravity, the effects of light and shadow, as well as physical realities are eliminated in favour of a more or less phantasmagorical reading. Klees art is not concerned with representing objective reality, but rather the unconscious, whereby he attached considerable importance to the world of childrens fairy tales and fantasies. PAUL KLEE (Münchenbuchsee 1879–1940 Muralto) Der Fürst und seine Stadt. 1925. Aquarell und Tusche auf Papier, teilweise gespritzt. Unten mittig signiert: Klee. Auf dem Künstlerkarton unten links datiert und bezeichnet: 1925 V.7, und unten rechts betitelt: Der Fürst und seine Stadt. 34,1 × 24,2 auf 49,2 × 34,2 cm (Künstlerkarton). Provenienz: - Rudolf Probst (Galerie Neue Kunst Fides/ Das Kunsthaus), Dresden/Mannheim, 1926–30. - Lily Klee, Bern, 1940–45. - Galerie Rosengart, Luzern, 1945. - Sammlung Robert Vatter, Bern, 1945–92. - Nachlass Robert Vatter, Bern, 1992–98. - Schweizer Privatsammlung. Ausstellungen: - Prag 1926, Drei Ausstellungen: I. Jarsov Veris, Paris Bilder und Zeichnungen II. Paul Klee, München 60 Aquarelle III. Bernhard Reder, Rum?nien farbige Zeichnungen, Kunstverein für B?hmen / Künstlerhaus Rudolfinium-Parlament, 27.2.–14.3.1926, Nr. 2. - Dresden 1926, Paul Klee, Galerie Neue Kunst Fides, 21.5.–30.06.1926, Nr. 63. - Brüssel 1928, Paul Klee. 40 Aquarelles, Galerie LEpoque, M?rz–April 1928, Nr. 18. - Bern 1935, Paul Klee, Kunsthalle Bern, 3.2.–24.3.1935, Nr. 114. - Luzern 1945, Paul Klee zum Ged?chtnis, Galerie Rosengart, 15.7.–15.9.1945, Nr. 17 (verso auf dem Künstlerkarton mit Stempel und Etikett). Literatur: Paul-Klee-Stiftung und Kunstmuseum Bern (Hrsg.): Catalogue raisonné Paul Klee, Bern 2000, Bd. 4 (1923–1926), S. 382, Nr. 3898 (mit Abb.). Architektonische Motive bilden seit Kindestagen eine Konstante in Paul Klees vielf?ltigem ?uvre. Seine Begeisterung für**Architektur fusst in seinen Reisen nach Italien, wo er antike Bauwerke bewundern kann, sowie in der legend?ren Tunisreise von 1914 mit Louis Moillet und August Macke, bei der er**islamische (Bau-)Kultur kennenlernt. Das vorliegende Arrangement von facettierten Architekturteilen, Mauerwerk, D?chern und H?userkomplexe zusammen mit der überdimensionalen anthropomorphen Figur am linken Stadtrand illustriert eine Verzahnung erz?hlerischer Elemente. Klee entwickelt durch seine findungsreichen Kompositionen ein eigenes eklektisches Metaversum, welches eine vielseitige und geistreiche Durchdringung von Formen und Ideen erlaubt. Es ?ffnet sich dem Betrachter ein vielschichtiges semantisches Feld, das multiple Interpretationen nicht nur zul?sst, sondern geradezu f?rdert.**Neuformulierung bestehender architektonischer Formen bezeugt**Auseinandersetzung mit dem Kubismus und Konstruktivismus. Wichtige Einflüsse verdankt er nicht zuletzt seiner T?tigkeit am Bauhaus. Nicht selten persifliert Klee jedoch**am Bauhaus dominierende Rationalit?t auf ironische Weise, in dem er sie für**Konstruktion des Fantastischen in den Dienst nimmt und unlogische, irrationale Gebilde entwickelt. Gepaart mit der Faszination für utopische Entwürfe der expressionistischen Architektur, erschafft Klee somit eine individuelle Architektur. Indem Klee**Farben losgel?st vom Bildinhalt auf das Papier aufspritzt, erscheinen**Figuren und architektonischen Elemente von Zeit und Raum enthoben. Schwerkraft, Licht- und Schattenwirkungen sowie physikalische Realit?ten werden zugunsten einer teils fast phantasmagorischen Lektüre ausgehebelt. Klee geht es in seiner Kunst nicht um**Abbildung der Wirklichkeit, sondern um**Darstellung des Unbewussten, wobei er der kindlichen M?rchen- und Fantasiewelt grosse Bedeutung zumisst.
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