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Oregon, United States
loves: you win if you guessed "pets" and "museums". Also books, art history, travel, British punk, Korean kimchi, bindis, martinis, and other things TBD. I will always make it very clear if a post is sponsored in any way. Drop me a line at thepetmuseum AT gmail.com !

Sunday, February 07, 2016

the dog as accessory (klee)

found on pinterest. believed pd in good faith
1906:  the sublime Paul Klee* has devised a new way to create imagery, scratching lines into blackened glass sheets, making the white speak rather than the dark.  He adds color later, if it seems like a good idea.  He creates "Portrait of an Emotional Lady," and tints her hair and her tiny dog (who has some kind of a nosering-leash combo) the same shade.   You know what I think?  I think Klee recognized that this character he'd portrayed needed what we now call a therapy dog, and that's why her head and her dog are strongly visually tied.  I'm also beguiled by the sheer presence the dog gives off. He may be small, but he's got big attitude.
There's a brief video about this piece over at Zentrum Paul Klee that I'd like you to see.  Here.

*I love him.  He was one of the greatest cat people ever, in my book.

2 comments:

parlance said...

What a strange nose-leash.

curator said...

It is indeed, Parlance! I had to check my sources carefully before I believed that was what it was. I thought perhaps he was holding some kind of odd jewelry.