Two Nudes in the Lake (Zwei Akte im See)

Two Nudes in the Lake (Zwei Akte im See) is a compelling early graphic work by Paul Klee, executed in 1907. This print was created utilizing the precise and demanding combination of etching and drypoint, demonstrating the German artist's formidable technical skill in traditional media long before his celebrated transition toward abstraction.

The medium of etching, combined with the burr of the drypoint needle, allows Klee to achieve a deep tonal richness and an expressive quality of line. The composition focuses on two nude figures immersed partially in a body of water. The strong, dark contour lines, characteristic of drypoint, define the bathers' forms and create a striking contrast against the lighter background and surface of the water. Unlike the colorful, planar works that would characterize his career after 1914, this early piece prioritizes figure study and structural line work, grounding the composition in a figurative tradition.

The work belongs to a formative period in Klee's development, documenting his mastery of graphic arts while still exploring realist subjects. Prints from this era are essential for understanding the origins of Klee’s visual language, which eventually merged expressive mark-making with symbolic meaning. This piece provides crucial historical context, showing the foundations of his genius as he moved away from turn-of-the-century German styles toward the radical individualism of the twentieth-century avant-garde. This historic print is preserved today within the esteemed collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York.