Boy in Fancy Dress 1931

Paul Klee made 'Boy in Fancy Dress' with watercolour and ink on paper. Look at all those tiny, soft-edged rectangles, laid down like tiles – or better, like confetti! You can tell Klee was really interested in the process of artmaking, how each mark builds into something bigger. I love the way he uses the paper. It feels so delicate, almost like a fabric, but he’s not afraid to let it show through. See how the colours are translucent, like stained glass? There's this one little patch of bright pink near the centre, where the boy’s holding a bow. It’s surrounded by more muted tones, so it really pops. It’s like Klee’s saying, “Hey, look at this burst of energy!” Klee always reminds me a little of Joan Miró. They both had this playful, almost childlike way of seeing the world. For Klee, art was about invention, a space where you could try on different costumes and imagine new realities. It's an invitation to join in his game of make-believe.