“Legend of the Nile” is an abstract artwork by artist Paul Klee, created in 1937. Klee utilized pastel on cotton cloth mounted on burlap as his medium for this piece. It is a representation of the Expressionism movement and measures 27 1/8 x 24 inches (69 x 61 cm). The artwork is part of the collection at the Kunstmuseum Bern in Bern, Switzerland.
The artwork is a vibrant composition characterized by a mosaic of variegated shades of blue that form an intricate background, punctuated by symbols and hieroglyph-like figures in a lighter hue. These symbols include abstract forms and shapes such as circles, crescents, triangles, and linear figures, suggesting a coded language or perhaps alluding to an ancient script. The periphery of the artwork is framed by a bold ochre border, which contrasts sharply with the blues and adds a sense of enclosure to the composition. Despite its abstract nature, elements of the piece vaguely suggest thematic ties to the Nile and its associated mythology or history, inviting viewers to decipher its visual vocabulary. The artwork bears the artist’s signature, Klee, anchoring the piece within his oeuvre and his exploration of color and symbol.
