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Art for Children
Paul Klee
A brief biography of this twentieth-century German artist accompanies reproductions and analyses of several of his works.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published November 1, 1968
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
October 23, 2023
Ernest Raboff's 1968 (and part of the Art for Children Series) Paul Klee is a concept picture book where my inner child and my adult reading self are definitely not really managing to completely (if at all) agree regarding specifically reading pleasure, regarding what Raboff is textually presenting.
Yes, Paul Klee is a personal favourite of German Expressionism, and as such, both adult and inner child me do both aesthetically adore and also truly appreciate all of the included artwork, and especially since many of the more general tomes covering German Expressionism (both for adults and equally so for younger audiences) often if not usually just tend to contain two to three Paul Klee paintings (maximum), whereas Paul Klee shows more than ten, and also of course focusses only only Klee and thus does not have him share textual and visual space with Wasily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, August Macke etc.. So indeed and certainly, with regard to the Paul Klee artwork included and being featured, there is naturally and bien sûr a very strong agreement and no argument whatsoever with my inner child that in Paul Klee Ernest Raboff presents wonderful paintings, that the diversity of Klee's work being shown is also spectacular and truly demonstrates how versatile Paul Klee was as an artist and that he did not just paint using one particular style either (even if he is considered an Expressionist artist), and that yes, both myself as an adult reader and my inner child also really do consider the search and find parts of Paul Klee fun and diverting and that looking for the objects listed by Ernest Raboff in the featured paintings has been absolutely and utterly delightful.
However, what Ernest Raboff writes about Paul Klee and about the featured paintings, that is where in Paul Klee the arguments and disagreements between myself as an adult and my inner child begin. For yes, my inner child is definitely and certainly quite enjoying Raboff's basic Paul Klee biography (except for kind of being left wondering why needing to know that Klee owned a dog named Bimbo is somehow important and significant) and is also pretty decently appreciative of Raboff showing in and with Paul Klee what the included paintings are trying to visually say, what to find in them and equally how to interpret them. But indeed, my adult self on the other hand is finding the biographical parts of Paul Klee much too simplistic, too lacking in factual detail, but much more importantly and significantly than the biographical simplicities, as an adult reader I (emotionally and viscerally) completely and utterly do majorly despise Ernest Raboff telling me with Paul Klee what I should be seeing in Klee's art and how I should be interpreting his work, with my adult self thus feeling massively preached at and even more than a bit patronised (since I do really really NOT AT ALL like to be told what I am supposed to be seeing in a given painting, what I am supposed to be interpreting a given painting as being or as representing), and with this caesura and break between my adult and my childhood self also meaning that I can and will only consider giving Paul Klee a three star rating (although I do recommend Paul Klee since I well realise that the intended audience, that children, will likely also and just like my own inner child appreciate the pictorial interpretations Ernest Raboff presents and provides).
Yes, Paul Klee is a personal favourite of German Expressionism, and as such, both adult and inner child me do both aesthetically adore and also truly appreciate all of the included artwork, and especially since many of the more general tomes covering German Expressionism (both for adults and equally so for younger audiences) often if not usually just tend to contain two to three Paul Klee paintings (maximum), whereas Paul Klee shows more than ten, and also of course focusses only only Klee and thus does not have him share textual and visual space with Wasily Kandinsky, Franz Marc, August Macke etc.. So indeed and certainly, with regard to the Paul Klee artwork included and being featured, there is naturally and bien sûr a very strong agreement and no argument whatsoever with my inner child that in Paul Klee Ernest Raboff presents wonderful paintings, that the diversity of Klee's work being shown is also spectacular and truly demonstrates how versatile Paul Klee was as an artist and that he did not just paint using one particular style either (even if he is considered an Expressionist artist), and that yes, both myself as an adult reader and my inner child also really do consider the search and find parts of Paul Klee fun and diverting and that looking for the objects listed by Ernest Raboff in the featured paintings has been absolutely and utterly delightful.
However, what Ernest Raboff writes about Paul Klee and about the featured paintings, that is where in Paul Klee the arguments and disagreements between myself as an adult and my inner child begin. For yes, my inner child is definitely and certainly quite enjoying Raboff's basic Paul Klee biography (except for kind of being left wondering why needing to know that Klee owned a dog named Bimbo is somehow important and significant) and is also pretty decently appreciative of Raboff showing in and with Paul Klee what the included paintings are trying to visually say, what to find in them and equally how to interpret them. But indeed, my adult self on the other hand is finding the biographical parts of Paul Klee much too simplistic, too lacking in factual detail, but much more importantly and significantly than the biographical simplicities, as an adult reader I (emotionally and viscerally) completely and utterly do majorly despise Ernest Raboff telling me with Paul Klee what I should be seeing in Klee's art and how I should be interpreting his work, with my adult self thus feeling massively preached at and even more than a bit patronised (since I do really really NOT AT ALL like to be told what I am supposed to be seeing in a given painting, what I am supposed to be interpreting a given painting as being or as representing), and with this caesura and break between my adult and my childhood self also meaning that I can and will only consider giving Paul Klee a three star rating (although I do recommend Paul Klee since I well realise that the intended audience, that children, will likely also and just like my own inner child appreciate the pictorial interpretations Ernest Raboff presents and provides).
July 30, 2022
This Art For Children series is an excellent way to introduce children to art & artists. Children seem to particularly like the work of Klee, so this is an especially good book with which to start. They’re even fun for adults to read, especially those new to art theory and art.
January 1, 2014
Beautiful book for young persons that describes Klee's work and encourages discussion.
February 1, 2020
I've had a hard to pin down appreciation of Paul Klee since I took an art appreciation class in college. My first impression is always that it's not impressive, but after some more looking it grows on me. This book does a good job of playing with and examining Klee's art in a way that is very accessible for kids. This was a fortunate random find in the library.
January 1, 2025
I wish I'd read this series back when I was young and my biological father gave it to me - but better late than never - and now I get a chance to discuss and enjoy with James. Klee is one of my favorite artists so it was oddly perfect to end on this one. Happy New Year and may everyone's lives be filled with great art!
November 12, 2018
Picked this up at the library. Great book not only about Klee's select works but also about looking at abstract art. Easy explanations that draw out discussion and ways to look at paintings. I loved it and would be a great gift for a budding young artist.
October 12, 2007
I had this book as a child, which led me to find the pedagogical sketchbook now.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews