The artwork titled “Black Knight” is a creation by the artist Paul Klee, dated to the year 1927. It is considered part of the Expressionism art movement and is categorized as a portrait. This work by Klee is held within the collection of the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, located in Düsseldorf, Germany.
The artwork presents a highly stylized figure against a dark background, with features rendered in shapes and lines that eschew realistic representation for an expressionistic abstraction. Broad areas of color and patterns signify different components of the figure, which one might interpret as representing a knight. The figure appears to be composed of geometric and organic shapes, with eyes depicted as two green discs, and a singular bold line suggesting a nose leading to a small, bright mouth. Above the eyes, a crown or helmet seems to be fashioned out of an array of repeating shapes, possibly indicating armor or a decorative headpiece. To the figure’s side, an enigmatic form, perhaps a shield, exhibits a pattern of crossing lines and warm hues. The overall effect is that of a simplified, yet enigmatic portrayal of a knightly figure, with abstract symbolism taking precedence over realistic anatomy or depth, consistent with the Expressionist ethos of conveying emotional experience rather than physical reality.
