plate no. 2046

Ad Parnassum

Paul Klee, 1932

oil, canvasExpressionismcityscapecityscapearchitecturesungeometric shapesabstractbuilding

recreation guide

Ad Parnassum (1932) by Paul Klee is an oil on canvas work that exemplifies his mature style, characterized by a dissolution of form into colored harmony and a grid-like structure. While the specific visual details of this cityscape are not described in the provided sources, Klee’s practice during this period involved creating compositions analogous to nature’s formative principles rather than imitating nature directly (Source 5). The work likely employs his characteristic method of treating paint as symbolic expression rather than illusionistic deception, utilizing the specific vitality of the oil medium to convey emotional ideas (Source 6). The composition likely relies on the principles of simultaneous contrast and the juxtaposition of colors to create gradations of light and intensity, consistent with the laws of coloring discussed in the sources (Source 2, Source 3).

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions

materials

4 items

steps

6 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Oil paints (primary set: Ultramarine, White, Black, plus Red and Yellow tones)	For the initial grisaille and subsequent glazing/scumbling layers	—
Oil of Copavia (or modern stand oil/linseed oil)	Medium for the first and second paintings to facilitate glazing	Stand oil or refined linseed oil
Varnish	Mixed with oil for later glazing stages to gain mastery over transparency	Dammar varnish or similar painting medium
Canvas	Support for the oil painting	Primed linen or cotton canvas

preparation

surface prep

The canvas should be prepared to accept oil paint. While specific priming details for this 1932 work are not in the sources, Klee’s general practice involved working on surfaces that allowed for the layering of transparent and semi-opaque coats. The preparation should be neutral to allow the underlying grisaille to function as a value structure for the subsequent color layers (Source 1).

underdrawing

Klee’s works often feature graphic signs and grid-like structures that dissolve into color (Source 5). An underdrawing likely involves establishing the structural grid or 'molding pit' ruins that provide material for abstraction (Source 5). This drawing serves as the skeleton for the colored harmony, ensuring that the object is not permanently segregated from the abstract form (Source 5).

underpainting

The process likely begins with a monochrome preparation, specifically a grisaille. This initial layer should be painted using black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia as a medium, establishing the value structure without red and yellow tones (Source 1). This grisaille must be allowed to dry completely before proceeding to color application (Source 1).

color palette

Ultramarine

Pure Ultramarine

Initial grisaille and blue tones in the final glaze

White

Lead White or Titanium White

Initial grisaille and highlighting

Black

Ivory Black or Lamp Black

Initial grisaille and dark accents

Red tones

Vermilion or Cadmium Red

Glazing and scumbling layers to introduce warmth and contrast

Yellow tones

Yellow Ochre or Cadmium Yellow

Glazing and scumbling layers to introduce warmth and contrast

composition

The composition likely utilizes the principle of juxtaposing colors to create simultaneous contrast, where each color approaches the complement of the other (Source 2). Klee characteristically dissolves scenery into a grid, creating colored harmony rather than realistic depiction (Source 5). The arrangement of elements likely follows the law of chiaroscuro, where juxtaposition of tones produces a gradation of light, with higher tones enfeebled and lower tones heightened at the line of juxtaposition (Source 3).

step by step

underdrawing→underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing→varnishing

underdrawing

step 01
Sketch the structural grid or abstract forms that represent the cityscape, focusing on the 'ruins' or material for abstraction rather than literal details.
Tip — Ensure the drawing supports the eventual dissolution of form into color.
Graphic abstraction

underpainting

step 02
Paint a grisaille using black, ultramarine, and white with oil of copavia. Mentally extract red and yellow colors, translating what would be left in nature if these were not present.
Tip — Focus on value structure; do not introduce red or yellow yet.
Grisaille

first pass

step 03
Allow the grisaille to dry completely. Begin glazing with oil, applying transparent coats of red and yellow tones as they occur in the composition.
Tip — Glazing is a transparent coat of color; ensure the underlying painting remains visible.
Glazing

refining

step 04
Apply scumbling, a semi-opaque painting technique, over the glazed areas. This allows the underlying painting to make itself felt, potentially creating a grey bloom if employed over a darker ground.
Tip — Scumbling tends to coldness over darker grounds; use it to modulate warmth and texture.
Scumbling

finishing

step 05
Adjust color intensities by surrounding colors with their complements to increase brilliancy, or with similar colors to soften them, adhering to the laws of simultaneous contrast.
Tip — Exaggerate color phenomena to imitate nature's luminous intensities, as the palette cannot fully replicate them.
Simultaneous Contrast

varnishing

step 06
Once mastery is gained, mix varnish with oil for final glazing layers to enhance depth and transparency, similar to tinting an engraving with watercolors.
Tip — Ensure previous layers are dry to prevent muddiness.
Varnish Glazing

critical techniques

Glazing and Scumbling

Used to build color over a dry grisaille. Glazing provides transparency, while scumbling provides semi-opacity, allowing the underpainting to influence the final appearance. This method was practiced by old masters and is essential for achieving the desired tonal effects.

Simultaneous Contrast

Juxtaposing colors to modify their aspect without changing the pigment. Placing complementary colors next to each other increases brilliancy, while similar colors soften intensity. This is crucial for achieving the 'colored harmony' Klee sought.

Chiaroscuro through Juxtaposition

Creating gradations of light by placing different tones of the same color side by side. The higher tone is enfeebled and the lower tone heightened at the boundary, producing a true gradation of light.

common pitfalls

→Attempting to deceive the eye with illusionistic naturalism, which subordinates the enjoyment of the medium and fails to express the artist's feeling (Source 6).
→Introducing red and yellow tones before the grisaille is completely dry, which can muddy the value structure (Source 1).
→Ignoring the laws of simultaneous contrast, resulting in flat or dull color interactions rather than vibrant harmony (Source 2).
→Overworking the scumbling layer, which can obscure the underlying painting rather than letting it 'make itself felt' (Source 1).

what the sources don't tell us

Where the corpus is silent, we say so rather than guess. These are the gaps a complete recreation guide would normally cover that our source passages don't.

·Specific visual details of Ad Parnassum (e.g., exact layout of buildings, specific color distribution) are not described in the sources.
·Klee's specific brushwork or stroke style for this particular 1932 work is not detailed.
·The exact proportions and dimensions of the canvas are not provided.
·Specific pigments used by Klee in 1932 are not listed, only general color families.

grounded in

The technical procedure in this guide traces to the following classical art-instruction texts.

The Practice of Oil Painting↗
- COLOURING A MONOCHROME — applied to Underpainting (grisaille), glazing, and scumbling techniques
The Science of Painting↗
- 4. When two colours separated by more than two others — applied to Color modification and simultaneous contrast principles
Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- 6. Put beside each other two flat tints of different tones of the same — applied to Chiaroscuro and tonal juxtaposition
The Practice and Science of Drawing↗
- XX MATERIALS — applied to Philosophy of using oil paint as symbolic expression rather than illusion