Synthetica: Synthesis on Design

Paul Klee: semiotic analysis of “Blumen-Mythos” (1918)


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This excerpt from Felix Thùrlemann's 1991 semiotic analysis of Paul Klee's 1918 watercolor, Blumen-Mythos, examines the painting's interplay between figurative and plastic levels of meaning. Thùrlemann meticulously details a methodology for separating and analyzing these levels, identifying elements (plastic units) and objects (figurative units). He then explores how these levels connect through code-connectors, revealing a complex system of relationships between visual elements and semantic interpretations. Finally, he interprets the painting's symbolic representation, suggesting a narrative about the union of masculine and feminine principles within a cosmic context. The analysis emphasizes the formal structures of the painting, ultimately arguing for its poetic nature.

Please note that the podcast covers key points from the source with synthetic voices, which may have glitches. It’s a reflective, not comprehensive, interpretation.

Thürlemann, F. (1991). Paul Klee: analisi semiotica di «Blumen-Mythos», 1918. Leggere l’opera d’arte.



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