Narretei 1922

Paul Klee made this ink drawing, Narretei, and, like his other work, it is a magical world that could only have been made by him. Just imagine Klee’s hand moving across the page, intuitively finding this figure, a kind of clown or harlequin perhaps. What was Klee thinking as he drew this? How did he decide on that long nose, or the arms flailing about? I love how Klee embraced the absurd, letting his imagination run wild without worrying about making sense. Look at the figure's gestures, so light and spontaneous, yet so precise! The drawing is so simple, just lines on paper, but it feels like a whole universe. Klee’s work makes me think about other artists, like Joan Miró, who similarly created their own visual languages and forms. Artists are always in conversation with each other, riffing off of each other’s ideas. It's a beautiful thing.