Ass (Esel) for the deluxe edition of the periodical Monatshefte für Bücherfreunde und Graphiksammler vol. 1, no. 5 (1925)

Ass (Esel) for the deluxe edition of the periodical Monatshefte für Bücherfreunde und Graphiksammler vol. 1, no. 5 (1925) by Paul Klee is a significant lithograph created during the artist's tenure at the Bauhaus school. Executed in 1925, this print demonstrates Klee’s characteristic fusion of whimsical figuration with controlled, modernist abstraction, delivered through the technical precision of the lithograph medium. The work was commissioned as an exclusive insertion for the deluxe edition of the influential German publication, Monatshefte für Bücherfreunde und Graphiksammler, a periodical highly regarded by collectors of fine graphic arts.

Klee’s involvement in creating such specialized prints highlights the crucial role that printmaking played in disseminating avant-garde art during the Weimar Republic. In this composition, the subject—an ass, or Esel—is rendered with a deceptive simplicity. Klee employs light, economical lines and a flattened perspective, transforming the animal into a subtle psychological portrait that balances humor and vulnerability. This reductive approach to form was consistent with the modernist ideas circulating within German cultural institutions during the mid-1920s, placing Klee at the forefront of graphic experimentation.

The artist, known primarily for his innovative use of color and complex pedagogical theories, utilized prints like Ass (Esel) to refine his skills in black-and-white media, focusing purely on line and composition. This specific work holds a pivotal place in the understanding of Klee’s graphic output. Housed within the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, this lithograph stands as an important historical artifact, illustrating the high-quality craftsmanship demanded by patrons of graphic arts and confirming Klee’s mastery across multiple artistic classifications.