Red waistcoat 1938

Paul Klee made this painting, Red Waistcoat, with oil on canvas. The ground is kind of mottled, a little crusty, but the lines? They're so fresh and simple, like he just drew them on top. Look at the way he uses line to suggest a figure, almost like a child's drawing, full of symbols and playful shapes. It's not about representation; it's about inventing a language. The colors are warm, like looking through amber. There’s this little teardrop hanging from a triangular face, and it breaks my heart a little. Is it sadness? Irony? Klee was always pushing boundaries. He reminds me a little of Joan Miró, in the way he could make something profound out of seeming simplicity. Art is always a conversation, right? This piece really speaks to that idea of seeing the world anew, not through the lens of what you already know, but with open eyes.