Paul Klee 1914

August Macke made this drawing of Paul Klee at some point in the early 20th century. They were both part of a generation of German artists who were grappling with the legacy of Romanticism in the wake of industrialization and urbanization. In the years before the First World War, many artists like Macke and Klee wanted to find a way to represent modern life and also critique it. This sketch is an informal portrait, more intimate than formal. It’s a glimpse into the social networks of the German avant-garde. These artists often worked together, exhibited together, and supported each other’s experiments. The drawing style, reminiscent of German Expressionism, tells us something about the artist's feelings and emotions in representing Paul Klee. Understanding the context of this drawing requires us to look into the history of modern art in Germany, the rise of Expressionism, and the social and intellectual networks that sustained these artists. With further research, we can understand how artists reflect the changing times.