Aroundfish 1926

Paul Klee made "Aroundfish" with oil and ink on canvas, and it's like he's inviting us into his own playful world. The oil paint is laid on in thin washes, almost like watercolor, allowing the dark ground to peek through, which gives the whole composition an airy, dreamlike quality. Look at the scales of the fish, they're built up of tiny ink strokes. Each mark seems carefully considered. They create texture and pattern that is both decorative and strangely representational. The color palette, with its muted greens, blues, and browns, enhances the fantastical atmosphere. It's as if Klee is showing us not just a fish, but the idea of a fish, surrounded by symbols and signs that hint at deeper meanings. There is something so joyful and open ended about this piece, it puts me in mind of Miro, but with a Klee-like twist of humour and childlike wonder. It reminds us that art isn't about answers, but about asking interesting questions.