Two Men Meet, Each Believing the Other to Be of Higher Rank (Zwei Männer, einander in höherer Stellung vermutend, begegnen sich) from the series Inventions (Inventionen)

Two Men Meet, Each Believing the Other to Be of Higher Rank (Zwei Männer, einander in höherer Stellung vermutend, begegnen sich) from the series Inventions (Inventionen) is a pivotal early graphic work created by Paul Klee in 1903. This detailed etching belongs to a group of ten highly satirical prints that mark Klee's first significant, ambitious foray into artistic production while he was still establishing his identity as a German artist. The work demonstrates his early mastery of intaglio printmaking techniques, relying on precise, controlled lines, and dramatic contrast to convey the complex, often dark humor of the subject matter.

The series Inventions allowed Klee to explore narrative themes based on irony and grotesque fantasy before his revolutionary shift toward abstraction and color theory. The subject matter of Two Men Meet, Each Believing the Other to Be of Higher Rank captures two stylized male figures in a moment of absurd confrontation. As the title suggests, the tension stems from a mutual misjudgment of social standing, highlighting Klee's fascination with hierarchy, perception, and the pretense inherent in early 20th-century European society. The drawing style is markedly different from the vibrant, lyrical abstractions Klee would later develop; here, the composition is highly figurative and symbolic, driven by sharp social commentary rather than formal experimentation.

This important early print illustrates Klee’s commitment to narrative art, a foundation that would inform his subsequent stylistic revolutions. The meticulous handling of the etching plate suggests a young artist intensely focused on developing both technical skill and intellectual depth. The physical print, a crucial document of Klee's transitional years, is held in the prestigious collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York. The image of this foundational 1903 print, along with other seminal Klee prints, is sometimes available for study and reference within the public domain, ensuring broad access to the earliest graphic output of this influential modern master.