Paul Klee: Selected by Genius

by Roland Doschka

As an avant-garde artist of the twentieth century, painter Paul Klee's work defies classification. What is indisputable, however, is its originality and brilliance. Taken from the artist's most prolific years, 1917-1933, this book presents works that Klee never intended to sell. More than 100 colour plates reveal Klee's chromatic genius and wide stylistic range. Along with an indepth biography, the book features three essays, which examine Klee's versatility, place him in context with his contemporaries, and discuss his process for cataloguing his works. The result is a unique and far-reaching exploration of one of the twentieth century's most important and admired artists, at the most fecund stage of his career.

Genres: Art, Biography

224 pages, Paperback

First published August 27, 2001

Reviews

[AC · Rating 4 out of 5]

(When I first read this, I didn't know how to read an art book. I thought -- well, it's a book -- so I guess I have to read every word of it... with the result, that I didn't really remember to look -- to "really" look -- at an of the pictures. Now that I understand what a dumb approach that was -- that "reading" a book of Klee is not about reading the turgid essays of some poorly translated art academic nonsense, I need to do this one again.... paying attention to the pictures this time. Duh...! Well..., live and learn.)


This volume contains a wonderful collection of 80 works of Paul Klee (b. 1879 - d. 1940), done in the period 1917-1933. There is a biography at the back that includes photographs of the artist and his family and three essays at the front (by Victoria Salley, Roland Doschka - the volume's editor - and Christian Rümelin). I found these essays uninspiring, pedantic -- though the paper of Rümelin contains detailed discussion on Klee's presentation of his own work (his handwritten catalogue, mounting, estate collection, and so forth) that may interest some.

[Cheryl]

I looked at the edition with 80 plates. Not sure what the reviewer was looking at that had 250(!).

I only looked to see if this one image that I have in the back of my mind, from a museum or calendar or college class, was in here. Nothing jogged my memory. Oh well. For all I trust my memory it was actually Miro or Mondrian or someone else who created the image.

Dec. 2023

[LemontreeLime · Rating 3 out of 5]

nicely done.

[Dottie Suggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting essays about Paul. It was about how and where he worked and who he was friends with. I enjoyed the writing and then there were 250 color plates of his work that brought it all home. Very nice for a long afternoon.