Der Verliebte (The Loved One)

Der Verliebte (The Loved One) by Paul Klee is an influential graphic work created in 1923. Executed as a lithograph, this piece exemplifies Klee's unique contribution to the world of prints and abstraction during the crucial period of 1901 to 1925. Although categorized within the Swiss cultural sphere, Klee's art was fundamentally international, bridging the gap between Surrealist dream logic and the formal precision taught at the German Bauhaus, where the artist served as a professor.

The technique of lithography, relying on planar surface treatment rather than incision, allowed Klee to develop a visual language characterized by sharp, deliberate lines and simplified forms. This work, often highly geometric, translates the internal state implied by the title, "The Loved One," into a highly abstracted, almost coded image. Klee consistently sought to capture the essence of emotion or observation rather than realistic representation, utilizing color fields and linear structures to build symbolic narratives. His graphic output from this era is widely recognized for its intellectual rigor and whimsical approach to form, influencing successive generations of abstract artists.

Klee’s systematic yet deeply poetic approach distinguishes this piece within the context of European modernism. The work highlights his transition toward full-blown geometric abstraction while retaining figurative suggestion, a tension that defines much of his most celebrated output. This important print is part of the extensive collection of modern prints and drawings at the National Gallery of Art, Washington D.C., where it serves as a vital example of Klee’s printmaking mastery. Its inclusion in a major public collection ensures that this formative example of early 20th-century Swiss-German modernism remains accessible for academic study and public appreciation.