The One in Love (Der Verliebte) for the Masters' Portfolio of the Staatliches Bauhaus (Meistermappe des Staatlichen Bauhauses)

Paul Klee created The One in Love (Der Verliebte) for the Masters' Portfolio of the Staatliches Bauhaus (Meistermappe des Staatlichen Bauhauses) in 1923. This lithograph was produced as part of a significant publishing project intended to showcase the depth and variety of the work being created by the school’s esteemed faculty masters. Klee, who began teaching at the Weimar Bauhaus in 1921, was pivotal in developing the school’s theoretical framework concerning form, line, and composition, often bridging the gap between fine art and geometric design principles.

As one of the key prints in the portfolio, the work demonstrates Klee's characteristic graphic approach, marked by a sophisticated balance of sparse geometry and emotionally suggestive figurative elements. The simplified, almost hieroglyphic forms coalesce to represent the "Verliebte," or lover, a theme Klee revisited throughout his career, often using human relationships to explore abstract concepts. Klee utilized the precise, crisp line capability inherent in the lithograph technique to enhance the composition's linear structure, emphasizing structure and rhythm over complex shading. This style was highly influential within the broader German artistic scene of the 1920s, which sought new forms of visual language following World War I.

The creation of the Masters' Portfolio in 1923 was strategically important, cementing the Bauhaus's reputation internationally through the medium of high-quality prints suitable for wide dissemination. Klee’s contribution, The One in Love, exemplifies the intellectual rigor and aesthetic playfulness central to his pedagogy. Classified as a foundational example of German modernist prints, the work captures the critical intellectual energy surrounding the Bauhaus during this early period. Today, this historically important piece resides in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, ensuring its accessibility for study and appreciation alongside other masterpieces from this transformative era.