Paul Klee - Individualized Altimetry of Layers, 1930

Even though the picture «Individualized Altimetry of Layers» was only created in 1930, it nevertheless indicates a direct relationship in its formal structure to the Egyptian water colours. The composition is divided into twelve horizontal strips, called layers by Klee, which are cut through by five vertical bars. With each step, the layers are either divided or joined back together again. The rhythm of the self-doubling layers derives from the right hand edge of the picture. This is not a water colour but a painting with paste colours which draws the picture closer to the square pictures. The regular repetition of a colour trio is then replaced by an entirely individual colouring. The centre is dominated by a red square and held in equilibrium by different strips of colour. Out of the bright green arises from below the intense movement over the red to a bright blue stripe, which at the top of the picture is underlayed with pale pink. In between repeated dark and light shades are freely arranged, so that despite the strong contrasts the impression of a closed but in itself harmonic movement of colours is created.