The Aim, My Aim! (plate facing page 22) from Potsdamer Platz oder Die Nächte des neuen Messias. Ekstatische Visionen (Potsdamer Platz or The Nights of the New Messiah. Ecstatic Visions)

The Aim, My Aim! (plate facing page 22) from Potsdamer Platz oder Die Nächte des neuen Messias. Ekstatische Visionen (Potsdamer Platz or The Nights of the New Messiah. Ecstatic Visions) is one plate from an illustrated book created by the influential Swiss-German artist Paul Klee in 1919. This important early work provides direct insight into the German artistic landscape immediately following World War I, capturing the spirit of urban chaos and spiritual anxiety prevalent in the contemporary Expressionist movement.

Classified formally as an illustrated book, this collection features ten offset lithograph reproductions, demonstrating Klee’s early engagement with printmaking. This medium allowed for the broad dissemination of his distinct aesthetic, suitable for the graphic needs of politically and culturally urgent publications of the period. Even in this reproductive format, the piece retains the characteristic angularity, sharp line quality, and almost script-like drawing that defined much of Klee’s output in 1919. The composition is highly dynamic and compressed, typical of Expressionism, which prioritized the conveyance of profound emotional states over strict naturalistic representation. Klee’s contribution to the illustrated book, Potsdamer Platz, demonstrates his strong affiliation with contemporary German literary and visual arts.

The work is intrinsically tied to the cultural upheaval of the era, reflecting the intensity and almost manic energy referenced in the book’s subtitle, Ekstatische Visionen. Such prints were crucial in articulating the sense of crisis and searching that defined the early Weimar Republic. This pivotal piece contributes significantly to the understanding of the artist's foundational period before he joined the faculty of the Bauhaus in 1920. Today, this significant example of early 20th century German graphic arts is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, ensuring its sustained accessibility for scholarly examination and public appreciation of Klee’s groundbreaking work.