A Swiss-born painter and graphic artist, Paul Klee was born on December 18, 1879, in Munchenbuchsee, Switzerland, into a family of musicians. His personal, often gently humorous works are filled with allusions to dreams, music, and poetry, and are difficult to classify. Primitive art, surrealism, cubism, and children's art all seem blended into his small-scale, delicate paintings, watercolors, and drawings.

Klee grew up in a musical family and was himself a violinist. His childhood love of music was always to remain important in his life and work. From 1898 to 1901, Klee studied in Munich, first with Heinrich Knirr, then at the Kunstakademie under Franz von Stuck. Upon completing his schooling, he traveled to Italy in the first of a...