May PicturePaul Klee · 1925

Identification of May Picture by Paul Klee

The artwork titled May Picture is an oil painting on board created by the artist Paul Klee in 1925. This specific piece is also identified by the name Maibild. It belongs to a particular group of works known as the Magic Square series, which the artist developed following a trip to Tunisia in 1914.

The composition consists of a mosaic of interlocking squares and rectangles. These geometric forms are arranged in a rhythmic pattern across the surface. The work is currently held within the collection of The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. It was acquired as part of The Berggruen Klee Collection in 1984.

Composition and Visual Elements

The composition is structured around a mosaic of 24 squares and rectangles. These geometric forms are arranged in various patterns across the surface, with several shapes overlapping to create a sense of depth. The arrangement of these elements resembles a collection of odd-shaped stones assembled into a mosaic. This structural organization functions to capture the essence of light and movement through the interaction of its parts.

The color palette is composed of at least 13 distinct hues. These include shades of red, green, blue, and yellow. The interlocking shapes distribute these colors across the plane, creating a rhythmic visual arrangement. The interplay between the solid geometric boundaries and the overlapping edges produces a layered effect within the grid.

Technique and Physical Materials

This work is an oil painting executed on a board. The specific medium is oil on cardboard, a choice that influences the surface's absorption and the way pigment sits upon the substrate. The physical dimensions of the piece are 42 x 50 cm, which corresponds to 16 5/8 × 19 1/2 in. (42.2 × 49.5 cm).

The application of pigment involves the use of thin washes. This method allows for the layering of color, creating a sense of luminosity and textural depth across the surface. Through these translucent layers, the colors achieve a specific visual weight, where the interaction of different hues creates a sense of movement within the geometric structure. The resulting surface exhibits a subtle gradation of tone, particularly where the various colored squares meet and overlap.

History and Collections

This oil on cardboard work is part of the Berggruen Klee Collection, 1984. It is currently held within the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The specific object number assigned to this piece is 1984.315.42. The painting is categorized under the museum's Modern and Contemporary Art department.

The piece is also associated with the Zentrum Paul Klee museum in Bern, Switzerland. This institution houses a significant portion of the artist's output. The physical presence of the work in these collections ensures its preservation and study within the context of mid-century abstraction and the Magic Square series.

Related Works by Paul Klee

The artist's exploration of form and color is evident in several other compositions from different periods. In 1915, he produced Woman Knitting, a work that captures a sense of rhythmic movement. This earlier piece precedes his more structured geometric experiments. By 1920, he had painted Redgreen and Violet-Yellow Rhythms, a work held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

During the same year as May Picture, the artist created Fish Magic in 1925. This work utilizes simple shapes to suggest complex forms. Later, in 1927, he produced Ships in the Dark, which demonstrates a specific approach to balancing light and shadow to establish a sense of space.