Join The Collection to save, track, and explore works like this.

Cleveland Museum of Art

Spotted

Paul Klee — With the Dot
Paul Klee

With the Dot

1916

Paul Klee made this drawing during World War I. It shows a hovering figure, who could be saintly or demonic, overlooking a scene that includes a zeppelin, a decapitated child, a fallen soldier, and a recoiling (or attacking) figure. The soldier’s helmet displays a handle, implying the mechanized or dehumanized war machine. Klee’s title for the drawing includes the depiction of a point (•), which refers to the circular zeppelin or circle that frequently appeared in his drawings as a menacing omen. In 1915 Klee wrote: “The more horrifying this world becomes the more art becomes abstract; while a world at peace produces realistic art.”

Medium
pen and black ink

Start the Discussion

Request access to join the discussion

Spotted works by Paul Klee

About this work

Paul Klee, With the Dot, 1916

Paul Klee made this drawing during World War I. It shows a hovering figure, who could be saintly or demonic, overlooking a scene that includes a zeppelin, a decapitated child, a fallen soldier, and a recoiling (or attacking) figure. The soldier’s helmet displays a handle, implying the mechanized or dehumanized war machine. Klee’s title for the drawing includes the depiction of a point (•), which refers to the circular zeppelin or circle that frequently appeared in his drawings as a menacing omen. In 1915 Klee wrote: “The more horrifying this world becomes the more art becomes abstract; while a world at peace produces realistic art.”

Medium
pen and black ink
Year
1916
Seen at
Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Related themes

Pen and Ink, Dark, Monochrome, 20th Century, Blue Chip, Political, Expressionism, War Imagery, Small Format, Abstraction, Symbolism, Modern, German, Drawing, Unique Work, Figurative

More works by Paul Klee

Collected by

Cleveland Museum of Art