Paul Klee was born in Switzerland in 1879 and spent most of his life there. His father was a musician and teacher. At age 7 he was playing the violin in an orchestra. His early works were landscapes done with pencils, but after traveling to Africa he was introduced to color. His works featured simple combinations of colors and color gradations, some resembling mosaics. In his paintings he depicted fantastical, ingenious, and imaginative images. He died at the age of 60.