Walk in the Orient (Spazier Gang im Orient)

Discussion

FROM THE BARNES FOUNDATION’S CATALOG

A group of what appears to be four human figures and two animals are shown in motion. Their bodies are formed of iridescent, intersecting shapes resembling stained glass—complementing two other watercolors that Klee painted in 1932, The Last Mercenary and Two Red Flowers , displayed just below in Room 17. The now-obsolete term Orient of this picture's title may refer to the region of North Africa, particularly Egypt, where Klee traveled frequently. He credited seeing the dazzling Mediterranean sun playing on the cityscape of Kairouan, Tunisia, for helping him understand how to use color in painting.

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