plate no. 5176

Fish Magic

Paul Klee, 1925

panelExpressionismsymbolic paintingfishflowersclockabstract figuregeometric shapesdark background

recreation guide

Fish Magic (1925) is a seminal work by Paul Klee that exemplifies his synthesis of aquatic, celestial, and earthly entities through a complex layering of media. The painting is characterized by a delicate surface of black paint applied over a dense layer of multicolored pigments, creating a mysterious, inky atmosphere. A defining feature is the inclusion of a square of muslin glued to the center, functioning as a collage element that contrasts with the painted background. The figures—fish, flora, humans, and a clock tower—are not painted on top but are scratched and scrawled out from the dark surface, revealing the vibrant colors beneath. This technique recalls Klee’s earlier experiments with scratching on blackened glass (Verre églomisé) and his general practice of combining disparate materials like fabric and paint to achieve a fragile, childlike quality.

estimated time

20-30 hours over 5-7 sessions (allowing for drying times between layers and careful scratching)

materials

7 items

steps

5 in sequence

materials

item	purpose	modern equivalent
Wood panel	Support surface, consistent with the artwork's medium description	—
Oil paints (multicolored)	To create the dense underlayer of pigments	Standard tube oil paints
Black oil paint or black wash	To create the delicate dark surface layer	Ivory Black or Lamp Black oil paint
Muslin fabric	To be glued to the center as a collage element	Lightweight cotton muslin
Adhesive	To attach the muslin to the panel	Acrylic medium or archival glue
Sharp scratching tool	To scratch/scrawl figures through the black layer	Palette knife tip, needle, or stylus
Brushes	For applying paint and glazing	Various sizes of bristle and sable brushes

preparation

surface prep

Prepare a rigid wood panel. Klee often worked on small-scale supports and combined media. Ensure the surface is primed to accept both oil paint and adhesive for the fabric collage element. The final effect relies on the contrast between the painted surface and the textured fabric.

underdrawing

Sources do not explicitly describe a preliminary underdrawing for Fish Magic. However, Klee was a natural draftsman who often used geometric forms and grid-like compositions. It is likely that the placement of the central muslin square and the general layout of the 'aquatic, celestial, and earthly entities' were planned, but the specific figures were generated through the scratching process rather than drawn beforehand.

underpainting

Apply a dense layer of multicolored pigments across the panel. This layer serves as the 'reveal' layer. The colors should be vibrant and varied, as they will be exposed through the scratching process. This aligns with the description of a 'dense layer of multicolored pigments' lying under the black surface (Source 1).

color palette

Multicolored pigments

Various bright hues (reds, yellows, blues, greens)

The dense underlayer revealed by scratching. Klee’s work from this period often features highly polychromatic palettes and a 'fragile childlike quality' (Source 4).

Black

Black oil paint

The delicate surface layer covering the colors. Creates the 'mysterious and inky atmosphere' (Source 1).

Natural Muslin

Unbleached or lightly toned fabric

The central square collage element, providing textural contrast and fragility (Source 1).

composition

The composition centers on a square of muslin glued to the middle, creating a collage effect. A thin diagonal line extends from the middle right of the canvas to the top of a clock tower, a specific compositional device noted by Ann Temkin as seeming 'ready to pull the [square of muslin] off to reveal something underneath' (Source 1). The arrangement intermingles aquatic, celestial, and earthly entities, reflecting Klee’s tendency to blend fantasy with natural empiricism (Source 1).

step by step

underpainting→first pass→refining→finishing

underpainting

step 01
Apply a dense, thick layer of multicolored oil paints across the entire panel. Do not worry about specific forms yet; focus on creating a rich, varied chromatic base.
Tip — Ensure the layer is dense enough to provide strong color contrast when revealed later.
Impasto / Layering

first pass

step 02
Allow the underlayer to dry completely. Then, apply a delicate, thin layer of black paint over the entire surface. This should be opaque enough to cover the colors but thin enough to allow for scratching.
Tip — The black layer should create a 'mysterious and inky atmosphere' (Source 1). Avoid making it too thick, or it will be difficult to scratch through.
Glazing / Overpainting

refining

step 03
Glue a square of muslin to the center of the panel. This acts as a collage element, introducing fragility and texture.
Tip — Ensure the adhesive is secure but does not warp the fabric excessively. The muslin should contrast with the painted surface.
Collage
step 04
Using a sharp tool, scratch and scrawl figures into the black paint. Reveal the multicolored underlayer to form fish, flora, human beings, and a clock tower. The technique is described as a 'sophisticated version of the games children play with wax crayons' (Source 1).
Tip — Work confidently. The lines should be expressive and spontaneous. Pay attention to the diagonal line extending from the middle right to the clock tower (Source 1).
Scratching / Sgraffito

finishing

step 05
Review the balance of revealed color and remaining black. Add any final touches to the scratched lines if necessary. Ensure the muslin square remains distinct.
Tip — The goal is to reconcile 'intellectual and imaginative forces' to produce a 'sense of magic' (Source 1).
Final Adjustment

critical techniques

Scratching on dark surface

Klee used this method to reveal underlying colors, similar to his earlier Verre églomisé works where he scratched on blackened glass (Source 3). In Fish Magic, this creates the figures from the negative space of the black paint.

Collage with fabric

Klee frequently combined media, including fabric like muslin, burlap, and gauze, with paint (Source 4). The muslin square in Fish Magic adds a tactile, fragile element to the composition.

Layering for contrast

The juxtaposition of the dense multicolored underlayer and the delicate black overlayer creates visual depth and mystery. This aligns with Klee’s interest in color harmony and contrast (Source 2, Source 6).

common pitfalls

→Applying the black layer too thickly, which prevents the underlying colors from showing through clearly when scratched.
→Scratching too tentatively, resulting in muddy lines rather than the crisp, expressive marks described as 'scrawled out' (Source 1).
→Ignoring the specific compositional element of the diagonal line leading to the clock tower, which is crucial to the painting’s dynamic tension (Source 1).
→Using a fabric that is too heavy or textured, which would disrupt the 'delicate' and 'fragile' atmosphere intended by the muslin square (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.

·The exact pigments used in the multicolored underlayer are not specified in the sources.
·The specific type of adhesive used to attach the muslin is not detailed.
·The precise dimensions of the muslin square relative to the panel are not provided.
·The specific colors of the fish, flora, and clock tower are not described, only that they are 'multicolored'.

grounded in

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

Laws of Contrast of Colour↗
- Simultaneous contrast — applied to General principles of color harmony and contrast relevant to the layered palette.

cross-referenced from

Named facts about this artwork and artist were checked against these reference pages.

Wikipedia: Fish Magic↗
- Analysis — applied to Description of the black surface, multicolored underlayer, scratching technique, and muslin collage.
Wikipedia bio — Paul Klee↗
- Early works — applied to Context for the scratching technique (Verre églomisé) and Klee’s history with combining painting and scratching.
- General practice — applied to Confirmation of Klee’s use of mixed media, fabric, and collage elements.