Das schamlose Tier, 1920 by Paul Klee exemplifies the artist's inventive approach to mixed media composition during a pivotal moment in modern art history. Classified as a drawing, this work utilizes the complex technique of oil transfer drawing combined with watercolor on a prepared chalk ground on paper, subsequently mounted on cardboard. This layering of materials allowed Klee to achieve unique textures and layered depth rarely seen in traditional works on paper.
Klee created this piece just prior to beginning his influential teaching tenure at the Bauhaus. The resulting figure, titled “The Shameless Beast,” reflects the post-World War I European fascination with the irrational and subconscious, bridging elements of Expressionism and emerging Surrealism. The composition utilizes fragmented lines, simplified forms, and vibrant, yet controlled, coloration to depict a fantastical or mythological creature, characteristic of Klee's exploration of symbolic or psychological states.
The aesthetic experimentation and technical innovation demonstrated in Das schamlose Tier make it a significant document of Klee’s graphic genius. This masterwork is a vital component of the permanent collection at the Kunstsammlung NRW, serving as a key reference for understanding Klee’s foundational contributions to 20th-century abstraction.
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