Magdalena before the conversion 1938

Paul Klee made this painting, Magdalena before the conversion, with oil paint and pastel. It’s a process of building up colours and shapes, that feel so playful. Klee’s use of colour is so unique. The pinks and reds in the background feel soft, but they pop against the yellows, blues, and greens of the figure. The textures of the paint and pastel create a tactile surface. Look how the hair, or headdress is applied with confident strokes, the paint slightly raised and crusty. It reminds me of frosting, and the way that the rest of the figure is built up from broad strokes of yellow and red is equally rich. There is a green form at the bottom left of the picture, a little abstract blob, that looks like a tiny figure, or a weird pet. Klee, like Miro, understood that art doesn’t need to be super serious, it can be a space for imagination, openness, and embracing the unexpected.