The Rhine at Duisburg 1937

Paul Klee made The Rhine at Duisburg with oil and ink using simple shapes and a muted palette, as if piecing together a dream. The painting feels more like a sketch, with thin layers of colour creating a textured surface. Look closely, and you can see how the black lines are laid over the colors. The color underneath barely peaks through the black marks, giving the piece a ghostly, ethereal quality. The waves, drawn as zigzags, contrast with the geometric shapes of the ships and buildings, suggesting movement and chaos. Klee's approach reminds me a bit of Joan Miró, another artist who played with simple forms and a childlike sense of wonder. But Klee’s work has a delicacy, a kind of quiet contemplation, inviting us to wander through his world of symbols and suggestions. Art isn't about answers, it's about the questions we ask along the way.