The artwork

"Heroic Roses" (1938), also known as "Heroic Roses," is an emblematic painting of Paul Klee's late period, created two years before his death. Housed at the Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen in Düsseldorf, it reflects the personal and political tensions that marked the artist's final years. The work, an oil on satin canvas measuring 68 × 52 cm, combines Abstract Expressionism with Symbolist accents. At a time when Klee was struggling with scleroderma and political isolation, his forms became essential, almost hieroglyphic, and the color contrasts intensified.

The roses of the title emerge as complex geometric figures, dominated by carmine reds and deep greens, arranged in a pyramidal structure reminiscent of an altar. Despite the apparent floral lyricism, the atmosphere is tense, punctuated by broken lines, dense shadows, and a lack of perspective. The work engages with other works from the same period, such as "Insula dulcamara," "Death and Fire," and "Ad Parnassum," sharing themes of mortality and inner resistance. In "Rose Eroiche," natural beauty is imbued with existential meaning, becoming a symbol of Klee's creative struggle against illness and oppression.

Sublime quality material

Printed on handmade Amalfi paper
Sheet size: 29 x 42 cm
With frame: 30 x 40 cm
Material: Printed on high-quality handmade Amalfi paper with fringed edges
Frame: Light brown beech wood and handmade wood pulp

CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY

The work is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity, also on Amalfi paper, signed by the printmaker.