Senecio 1922

Paul Klee made this painting, Senecio, with oils on gauze. The way he's divided up this face into segments gives it a somewhat architectural, constructed feel. It's like he’s building a face rather than painting it. The colors are muted, earthy, and soft, almost like looking at faded fresco. I find myself drawn to the texture of the surface, which seems almost like it has been aged. You can see the weave of the canvas coming through the paint. Look closely at the way he’s used those small squares of colour in the neck, like mosaic tiles. The mouth is a simple, almost childlike mark: two small purple rectangles stacked on top of one another. It's these very small, almost throw-away details that bring the whole piece into focus. The flatness of the picture makes me think of other artists, such as Picasso and Matisse. I guess you could say that Senecio is engaged in a colourful conversation with them. Ultimately, like all great art, it asks more questions than it answers.