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Learn MoreKronen-Narr by Paul Klee
- Paul Klee was one of the most visionary artists of the 20th century and a key abstract innovator
- This striking gouache beautifully blends a playful subject, bright palette and political commentary
- He shaped the trajectory of modern art through his role at the influential Bauhaus school
- Today Klee's works belong to prestigious collections such as MoMA and the Tate Modern
- Get complete item description here
$298,500
Item No.
32-1460
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Description
Paul Klee
1879-1940 | Swiss-German
Kronen-Narr
(Crown Fool)
Signed "Klee" (lower right)
Gouache and ink on newsprint on cardboard
One of the most important artists of the 20th century, Paul Klee's revolutionary compositions defied easy categorization. His paintings blended abstraction, personal and historical narratives into works that transformed the history of modern art. This striking 1938 gouache, entitled Kronen-Narr (Crowned Fool), is an exceptional example of Klee's masterful technique and unique vision.. . .
1879-1940 | Swiss-German
Kronen-Narr
(Crown Fool)
Signed "Klee" (lower right)
Gouache and ink on newsprint on cardboard
One of the most important artists of the 20th century, Paul Klee's revolutionary compositions defied easy categorization. His paintings blended abstraction, personal and historical narratives into works that transformed the history of modern art. This striking 1938 gouache, entitled Kronen-Narr (Crowned Fool), is an exceptional example of Klee's masterful technique and unique vision.. . .
Read More
Paul Klee
1879-1940 | Swiss-German
Kronen-Narr
(Crown Fool)
Signed "Klee" (lower right)
Gouache and ink on newsprint on cardboard
One of the most important artists of the 20th century, Paul Klee's revolutionary compositions defied easy categorization. His paintings blended abstraction, personal and historical narratives into works that transformed the history of modern art. This striking 1938 gouache, entitled Kronen-Narr (Crowned Fool), is an exceptional example of Klee's masterful technique and unique vision.
Rendered in gouache and ink on newsprint, the crowned figure hovers over fragments of contemporary headlines—a bold juxtaposition of whimsical imagery and the era's turbulence in Europe. The fool’s elongated form and angular crown recall medieval jesters, while his bright palette and graphic precision imbue the figure with both humor and profound weight. Bright and playful, the composition demonstrates Klee's genius for balancing serious political commentary and delightful works of art.
Born in Switzerland in 1879, Klee began his studies in both art and music before dedicating himself fully to painting. His practice was transformed during a 1914 journey to Tunisia, where the intensity of the North African light awakened his celebrated approach to color. By 1915 he had abandoned representational painting, choosing instead to create compositions from imagination, memory and musical rhythm.
His influence extended beyond his own practice to his role as a Bauhaus teacher alongside Wassily Kandinsky, where he articulated theories of color and form that shaped the trajectory of modern abstraction. Even after his exile from Germany in 1933, Klee continued to innovate, producing a remarkable body of work despite his declining health. Kronen-Narr belongs to this final period, when the artist’s imagery grew sharper and more symbolic, distilling complex themes into deceptively simple forms. Today, works of this caliber belong to the world's leading institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art, Tate Modern, the Centre Pompidou and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Dated 1938
Paper: 24 3/8" high x 15 3/8" wide (61.91 x 39.05 cm)
Frame: 33 1/4" high x 24 1/4" wide x 2 1/2" deep (84.46 x 61.60 x 6.35 cm)
Provenance:
Hans and Erika Meyer-Bentelli, Bern until 1955
Berggruen & Cie, Paris, 1955-58
Saidenberg Gallery, Inc., New York, 1958-59
James Wise, Geneva, New York and Nice from 1959
Nahum Goldman, Jerusalem until 1983
The Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Private collection, The Netherlands
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
Literature:
Paul Klee Foundation, Kunstmuseum Bern, Paul Klee: Catalogue Raisonné, Band 7, 1934-1938, Thames and Hudson, London, 1998-2004, p. 344, n° 7250 (illustrated)
Exhibited:
Amsterdam and Brussels, Stedelijk Museum and Palais de Beaux-Arts, Paul Klee, 1957, no. 97a
1879-1940 | Swiss-German
Kronen-Narr
(Crown Fool)
Signed "Klee" (lower right)
Gouache and ink on newsprint on cardboard
One of the most important artists of the 20th century, Paul Klee's revolutionary compositions defied easy categorization. His paintings blended abstraction, personal and historical narratives into works that transformed the history of modern art. This striking 1938 gouache, entitled Kronen-Narr (Crowned Fool), is an exceptional example of Klee's masterful technique and unique vision.
Rendered in gouache and ink on newsprint, the crowned figure hovers over fragments of contemporary headlines—a bold juxtaposition of whimsical imagery and the era's turbulence in Europe. The fool’s elongated form and angular crown recall medieval jesters, while his bright palette and graphic precision imbue the figure with both humor and profound weight. Bright and playful, the composition demonstrates Klee's genius for balancing serious political commentary and delightful works of art.
Born in Switzerland in 1879, Klee began his studies in both art and music before dedicating himself fully to painting. His practice was transformed during a 1914 journey to Tunisia, where the intensity of the North African light awakened his celebrated approach to color. By 1915 he had abandoned representational painting, choosing instead to create compositions from imagination, memory and musical rhythm.
His influence extended beyond his own practice to his role as a Bauhaus teacher alongside Wassily Kandinsky, where he articulated theories of color and form that shaped the trajectory of modern abstraction. Even after his exile from Germany in 1933, Klee continued to innovate, producing a remarkable body of work despite his declining health. Kronen-Narr belongs to this final period, when the artist’s imagery grew sharper and more symbolic, distilling complex themes into deceptively simple forms. Today, works of this caliber belong to the world's leading institutions, including the Museum of Modern Art, Tate Modern, the Centre Pompidou and the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art.
Dated 1938
Paper: 24 3/8" high x 15 3/8" wide (61.91 x 39.05 cm)
Frame: 33 1/4" high x 24 1/4" wide x 2 1/2" deep (84.46 x 61.60 x 6.35 cm)
Provenance:
Hans and Erika Meyer-Bentelli, Bern until 1955
Berggruen & Cie, Paris, 1955-58
Saidenberg Gallery, Inc., New York, 1958-59
James Wise, Geneva, New York and Nice from 1959
Nahum Goldman, Jerusalem until 1983
The Collection of Sidney Rothberg, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Private collection, The Netherlands
M.S. Rau, New Orleans
Literature:
Paul Klee Foundation, Kunstmuseum Bern, Paul Klee: Catalogue Raisonné, Band 7, 1934-1938, Thames and Hudson, London, 1998-2004, p. 344, n° 7250 (illustrated)
Exhibited:
Amsterdam and Brussels, Stedelijk Museum and Palais de Beaux-Arts, Paul Klee, 1957, no. 97a
Read Less
Specifications
| Maker: | Klee, Paul |
| Period: | 1919-Present |
| Origin: | Switzerland |
| Type: | Paintings |
| Style: | Modernism |
| Depth: | 2.5 in. (6.35 cm) |
| Width: | 24.25 in. (61.6 cm) |
| Height: | 33.25 in. (84.46 cm) |
| Canvas Width: | 15.375 in. (39.05 cm) |
| Canvas Height: | 24.375 in. (61.91 cm) |
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Buy with Confidence
At M.S. Rau, we are committed to building a long-term, rewarding relationship with each and every client. That’s why your purchase is backed by our 125% guarantee.
Learn More
