Sheep in the Pen (Schafe in der Hürde)

Sheep in the Pen (Schafe in der Hürde) is a significant early work by Paul Klee, executed in 1910. This composition exemplifies the initial technical proficiency of the German artist, created years before his association with Der Blaue Reiter and the Bauhaus solidified his reputation as a modernist pioneer. Klee chose the demanding medium of etching for this piece, utilizing the precision of the intaglio process to capture a scene of rural quietude.

The classification of this piece as a print underscores the importance of graphic arts in Klee’s formative period. The subject matter depicts farm animals-specifically sheep-confined closely within a wooden enclosure. Klee employed delicate, controlled lines and careful cross-hatching characteristic of fine etching to define the texture of the wool and the rough, vertical planks of the pen. The intimacy of the composition focuses the viewer’s attention on the density and quiet isolation of the flock, rendered in a style that is distinctly figurative and illustrative, departing significantly from the abstract language he would develop later.

The aesthetic framework of the work is rooted in the early 1910s, a crucial transitional moment in German art when artists were navigating the legacy of Expressionism and exploring graphic possibilities. While later Klee works would prioritize abstract symbols and complex color relationships, Sheep in the Pen offers valuable insight into the foundational draftsmanship that underpinned his subsequent revolutionary stylistic turns. As a seminal early impression, the etching is preserved within the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, marking a key point in the artistic journey of one of the 20th century's most inventive figures.