Saint of the Inner Light (Die Heilige vom innern Licht) from the portfolio New European Graphics, 1st Portfolio: Masters of the State Bauhaus, Weimar (Neue europäische Graphik, 1. Mappe: Meister des Staatlichen Bauhauses in Weimar), 1921

Saint of the Inner Light (Die Heilige vom innern Licht) from the portfolio New European Graphics, 1st Portfolio: Masters of the State Bauhaus, Weimar (Neue europäische Graphik, 1. Mappe: Meister des Staatlichen Bauhauses in Weimar), 1921, is a seminal print by Paul Klee. Executed as a lithograph, this German work belongs to a crucial collection published early in the Weimar era, affirming the prestige of the newly formed State Bauhaus in Weimar. The portfolio, released in 1921, featured major figures associated with the influential school, highlighting the importance of graphic production in disseminating modernist concepts across Europe.

Klee’s vision of the saint is typical of his highly personalized approach to form, balancing graphic linearity with spiritual and esoteric content. The figure, rendered in stark black and white, seems to float within a geometric, abstracted space. While the medium is the lithograph, Klee achieves a fine, almost draftsman-like quality in the precise execution of the line work. The figure’s face, highly stylized through angular lines and distilled shapes, focuses attention inward, visually representing the titular innern Licht (inner light) through geometric distillation rather than traditional religious iconography. This emphasis on internalized perception reflects the philosophical interests that underpinned Klee’s output during this early period of his career.

As one of the early master prints produced during Klee's tenure teaching at the Bauhaus, Saint of the Inner Light is significant not only as an individual image but also as a foundational document of modern German graphic art. The piece demonstrates the school's commitment to integrating fine art with reproducible prints, distributing high-quality artistic work to a wider audience outside traditional fine art channels. This highly influential lithograph from 1921 is recognized globally for its contribution to early abstraction and its essential role in defining the aesthetics of the Bauhaus. This specific print is housed in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), affirming its status as a key work in the history of modern art.