How did Paul Klee’s visit to Italy change his view of art?

Paul Klee’s six-month visit to Italy was a pivotal moment in his artistic development. Exposure to the beauty of ancient Rome and the Renaissance led him to critically question the imitative styles taught by his instructors and utilized in his own earlier work.1

Following this realization, Klee leaned into his talent for caricature, which became a cornerstone of his artistic practice. This shift is evident in his first significant series of etchings, titled Inventions (1903–05). These works, which utilized a precise technique inspired by Renaissance prints, served as grotesque allegories that reflected his sardonic perspective on social institutions and human pretension.1