ART: Magician's Handwriting

In the 16 years since Paul Klee died in Muralto-Locarno, Switzerland, his reputation for transmitting taproot messages from the unconscious and turning them into powerful, ironic, often haunting images has steadily increased. Today critics rank Klee with Picasso and Kandinsky as one of the great pioneers who have expanded 20th century vision. Klee's wandering line has been flattered into a cliche by modern cartoonists; some of his mannerisms (pointing arrows and large, arresting dots) are standbys in advertising art, on book jackets and record-album covers. Collectors, who traditionally lag a safe distance...