The artwork titled “Summer houses” is a watercolor on paper created by artist Paul Klee in 1919. As a significant piece within the Cubism art movement, this cityscape measures 17.8 cm by 28.3 cm. The piece is currently held in a private collection, reflecting the era’s tendency toward abstraction and geometric form.
The painting itself depicts an array of geometric shapes and forms that coalesce to suggest an abstracted cityscape, likely composed of houses as the title suggests. Klee employs a subtle yet diverse palette that includes earthy tones, blues, and whites, lending the artwork a summer feel. The artwork’s composition is characterized by the fragmentation of form typical of Cubism, with interlocking planes and facets that create a sense of depth and structure. The viewer can discern elements that mimic architectural features, such as windows and roofs, amidst a network of lines and patterns that evoke the organic textures of trees and foliage, perhaps representing the coexistence of man-made structures with nature. Klee’s technique with watercolor provides a delicate interplay of opacity and transparency, creating a dreamlike and rhythmic quality that invites contemplation.
