Paul Klee (1879-1940)

Die Pflanze als Saemann

Details

Paul Klee (1879-1940)
Die Pflanze als Saemann
signed 'Klee' (lower left) and dated '1921' (upper right); dated again, numbered and titled '1921/146 Die Pflanze als Saemann' (on the artist's mount)
pen and black ink on paper affixed to the artist's mount
Sheet size: 11 1/8 x 8¾ in. (28.2 x 22 cm.)
Mount size: 13 x 10¼ in. (33.1 x 26 cm.)
Executed in 1921

Provenance

Berner collection.
Galerie Rosengart, Lucerne (1952).
James Wise, New York (1959).
Galerie Berggruen & Cie., Paris.
Yozo Hamaguchi, Paris (acquired from the above, June 1961).
Acquired from the above by the present owner, circa 2000.

Literature

W. Grohmann, Paul Klee, Handzeichnungen 1921-1930, Potsdam, 1934, no. 22.
R. Verdi, Klee and Nature, London, 1984, p. 146 (illustrated).
The Paul Klee Foundation, ed., Paul Klee, Catalogue raisonné, Bonn, 1999, vol. 3, p. 332, no. 2737 (illustrated).

Exhibited

Paris, Galerie Berggruen & Cie., Klee lui-même, 20 oeuvres, 1907-1940, 1961 (illustrated).
Tokyo, Nantenshi Gallery, Paul Klee, May-June 1980 (illustrated).

Brought to you by

David Kleiweg de Zwaan

dkleiweg@christies.com Tel: + 1 212 636 2093

Lot Essay

The previous owner of this work, the artist Yozo Hamaguchi, began his studies in the sculpture department of the Imperial Fine Arts Academy in Tokyo. After graduation from the academy, he relocated to Paris in the 1930s and focused his studies on oil painting and copper engraving. He continued his concentration on the different engraving techniques, eventually becoming a master at mezzotint. His efforts and dedication to the medium helped contribute to raising the profile and popularity of engraving for modern art in Japan.

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