Paul Klee and the Decorative in Modern Art

Download or read book Paul Klee and the Decorative in Modern Art written by Jenny Anger and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2004-02-12 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: One of the goals of Modernism was the presentation of the essence of art, or pure form. Encouraged by theorists, modern artists found pure form in ornament which, though promising, was sullied by connotations of materiality, domesticity, and femininity. Jenny Anger demonstrates that the decorative significantly informed Paul Klee's art. She compares his work to that of another major modernist, Henri Matisse, to confirm the critical role of the decorative in Modernism. Anger also explores the relevance of the decorative for contemporary and, especially, women artists.