Cold City 1921

Paul Klee made this city out of watercolors, and it feels like a dream you might have after reading a book about architecture. The layers of color are so thin, it's almost like he breathed them onto the page, a true testament to watercolor's unique properties. Notice how the darkest hues seem to pool at the top, as if the buildings are emerging from the night. The light from the moon or stars – that cluster of soft circles – barely penetrates the gloom. It makes me think about how Klee used color not just to describe things, but to create a feeling, an atmosphere. Look at the tallest building, just off-center. It's a pale, almost ghostly white, its windows like watchful eyes. The paint is so delicate, you can see the paper underneath, giving it a luminous quality. It feels like a beacon of hope, or maybe just a reminder that even in the coldest cities, there's always a little light to be found. Like Kandinsky, Klee's contemporary, it's a total abstraction. Is it a landscape, or is it the expression of an inner state? You decide.