Scene among Girls (Scene unter Mädchen)

Scene among Girls (Scene unter Mädchen) by Paul Klee is a significant German drawing executed in 1923. Klee created this intricate work using a highly sophisticated mixed-media approach, combining watercolor, gouache, ink, and pencil applied to paper which was subsequently mounted on board. This complex layering of materials highlights the artist’s precise draftsmanship while allowing for the subtle shifts in color and texture characteristic of his production during the early 1920s.

Created shortly after Klee began teaching at the influential Bauhaus school, this piece exemplifies his ongoing commitment to bridging rigorous geometric abstraction with expressive, almost whimsical figuration. Although formally classified as a drawing, the comprehensive application of gouache and luminous watercolor elevates the piece beyond a simple preliminary sketch. The work is defined by strict line control and the definition of highly stylized figures arranged within a structure that suggests a contained stage or interior setting.

In depicting Scene among Girls, Klee employs his characteristic language of simplified forms and rhythmic arrangement, reflecting the avant-garde sensibilities of the German art scene at the time. The composition achieves a careful balance and provides a compelling record of artistic innovation during the Weimar Republic. This masterwork from 1923 is permanently preserved in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York. While the original drawing remains a crucial component of their holdings, digital reproductions and high-quality prints of Klee's works are frequently made accessible through institutional and public domain collections.