View into the Fertile Country (1932 CE)

Blick ins Fruchtland or, View into the Fertile Country (1932) by Paul Klee is a captivating work that invites viewers into an abstract, vibrant landscape pulsating with life and rhythm. Created during a pivotal moment in Klee’s career, this painting combines luminous colors and organic forms to evoke a poetic vision of fertility and creation, offering a glimpse into the artist’s philosophical exploration of nature’s vitality.

Completed in 1932, View into the Fertile Country emerged during Paul Klee’s tenure at the Bauhaus in Dessau, just before the Nazi regime’s rise forced him to leave Germany. This period marked a mature phase in Klee’s oeuvre, where he blended abstraction, symbolism, and vibrant palettes influenced by his travels to Tunisia (1914) and Egypt (1928). The painting reflects the socio-political tensions of the time and Klee’s personal introspection, as he grappled with the looming threat of political upheaval and his later diagnosis of scleroderma in 1935. The work’s creation aligns with Klee’s fascination with life cycles and nature’s creative forces, themes that grew more pronounced in his later works.

Known for his meticulous approach, Klee often likened his compositions to musical scores, with colors and shapes as notes in a visual symphony. His studio was described as a laboratory where he experimented with materials and techniques, sometimes layering pigments over weeks to achieve the desired effect. During his Bauhaus years, Klee’s playful yet profound teaching inspired students, and his lectures on form and color theory likely informed the rhythmic structure of this painting. 

The painting embodies Klee’s belief, articulated in his 1920 essay Creative Credo, that “art does not reproduce the visible; rather, it makes visible.” Its abstract landscape transcends literal representation, inviting viewers to contemplate fertility as both a physical and spiritual concept. The use of green, yellow, and red—symbolizing growth, sunlight, and vitality—alongside organic and straight shapes, reflects universal themes of renewal and life cycles. Influenced by theosophy and anthroposophy, Klee imbued the work with a holistic view of humanity’s connection to the cosmos. Within the 1930s cultural context, the painting subtly contrasts the era’s rigid ideologies, such as Nazism.

The painting, measuring 48.5 x 34.5 cm (19.1 x 13.6 inches), is executed in watercolor and oil on paper mounted on cardboard. Klee’s technique involved applying thin, translucent layers of watercolor to create glowing color fields, overlaid with oil to add texture and depth. Fine lines and patterns, drawn with pen or brush, weave through the composition, creating a rhythmic interplay of geometric and organic forms. The high-quality pigments used ensure the colors’ enduring vibrancy, while the paper’s texture enhances the watercolor’s fluidity. Klee’s methodical process, often preceded by sketches, reflects his musical approach to composition, balancing colors and shapes with precision to evoke harmony and movement.

Little is documented about the provenance of View into the Fertile Country, which is characteristic of some of Klee’s less prominent works. Created in 1932, it likely remained in Klee’s possession or was acquired by a private collector during his lifetime. Today, the painting resides in a private collection.