The Hanged Ones (Die Gehängten)

The Hanged Ones (Die Gehängten) by Paul Klee is an intense example of the artist's early experimental drawing, created in 1913. Executed using ink on paper mounted on board, this essential work reflects the unsettled cultural and psychological climate of the German avant-garde immediately preceding World War I, a period marked by explosive growth in Expressionism and early abstraction.

Klee’s technique in this piece emphasizes raw, energetic line work. The composition is sparse and economical, focusing the viewer’s attention on the disturbing subject: a series of roughly rendered figures suspended or trapped within a stark, angular framework. This visual intensity is achieved through rapid, gestural strokes of black ink, reducing the human form to essential, almost skeletal lines and dark masses. The work conveys the profound anxiety and tension characteristic of European modernity and demonstrates Klee’s developing visual vocabulary, moving away from purely representative depictions toward a symbolic structure capable of conveying complex psychological states.

Dating to a crucial moment in Klee's artistic evolution, The Hanged Ones precedes his influential trip to Tunisia, which would ultimately unlock his mastery of color. Early drawings like this one are foundational to understanding the development of the German modernist movement and Klee’s role within it as he transitioned from satirical draftsman to abstract theorist. The original piece is held in the prestigious collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. Though the artwork itself, completed in 1913, remains subject to copyright protections, high-quality digital images and prints are often made available through museum and art reference programs, ensuring broad access to Klee's pivotal early work.