What You See
A grid of colored rectangles fills the canvas — emerald greens, deep reds, turquoise, purple, ochre, black. Each square slightly different in hue and brushwork. No clear subject, no horizon, no figure. Just color arranged in a loose mosaic that seems to extend beyond the edges. The paint is thick, textured, applied in confident strokes that give each cell its own character. Look longer and rhythms emerge: warm tones cluster, cool tones recede, a visual melody builds.
Context
1925, Klee's Bauhaus teaching years. This belongs to his "Magic Squares" series — paintings that grew from his transformative 1914 trip to Tunisia. In North Africa, Klee famously wrote: "Color and I are one. I am a painter." The title suggests spring: May as renewal, diversity, bursting life. The grid abstracts that seasonal energy into pure chromatic relationships. No illusion, no representation — just the emotional truth of light and growth, translated into paint.
For Your Space
The jewel-tone palette is remarkably versatile. It picks up virtually any accent color. The nearly-square format works on narrow walls or as part of a gallery arrangement. The spring association makes it especially suited for living spaces. Prints beautifully at any size.