Skip to main content

The Saint of the Inner Light

1921
Paul Klee (Swiss, 1879–1940) Printed and published by the Staatliches Bauhaus, Weimar
Die Heilige vom inneren Licht gives a sense of Klee's use of hue and form during this stage of his career. The flattened, abstract treatment of the figure is echoed in the artist’s 1922 Der wilde Mann (now in the collection of the Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich), which takes Narasimha, the man-lion avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu, as its subject. Klee found meaning in the ancient literature of India, and he is known to have read the Mahabharata, one of the great sacred Hindu texts that tells the story of Narasimha.

Object Details

We are always open to learning more about our collections and updating the website. Does this record contain inaccurate information or language that you feel we should improve or change? Contact us here.

Please note that this particular artwork might not be on view when you visit. Don’t worry—we have plenty of exhibitions for you to explore.