Provenance
By descent Lily Klee (died 1946), Bern [according to the Paul Klee Foundation 2000]; Klee-Gesellschaft, Bern, 1946 [according to the Paul Klee Foundation 2000]. Galerie Rosengart, Lucerne, 1947 [according to the Paul Klee Foundation 2000]; sold to the Art Institute, 1948.
Accession Number
62384
Medium
Black ink transfer and black ink spatter, over watercolor, on buff wove card
Dimensions
27.2 × 42 cm (10 3/4 × 16 9/16 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Credit Line
Olivia Shaler Swan Memorial Collection
Background & Context
Background Story
Paul Klee's Fishing Boats shows boats on a lake or sea, rendered with simplified forms and delicate color. Boats allowed Klee to explore the relationship between geometric forms and organic movement.
Cultural Impact
Klee's marine subjects show his ability to find abstract beauty in everyday subjects.
Why It Matters
This painting of fishing boats captures the delicate balance of form and reflection on water.
