Paul Klee - Hammamet with Its mosque

• Title: Hammamet with Its mosque
• Artist: Paul Klee (1879-1940)
• Date: 1914
• Medium: Watercolor and graphite on paper mounted on cardboard
• Dimensions: 24 × 22 cm

On April 14, 1914, Klee journeyed to Hammamet, a small coastal town located northwest of Tunis on the Mediterranean. While there, he captured a view of the city in a watercolor titled "Hammamet with Its Mosque," painted from outside the city walls. The artwork comprises both representational and non-representational elements. In the upper portion, the mosque is depicted surrounded by two towers and gardens, while the lower area features translucent color planes, influenced by Robert Delaunay's approach of emphasizing pure color and its contrasts as the primary focus of a painting.

During his time in Tunisia, Klee was deeply inspired by the vibrant light and colors of his surroundings. Reflecting on this experience, he famously remarked, "Color and I are one. I am a painter."