In the midst of its considerable expansion project, the Speed Art Museum in Louisville, Kentucky has been working with conservators to assess the condition of its collection and to oversee any necessary repairs. As part of this effort, the museum sent Paul Klee's "Seven Blossoms," an abstract watercolor and ink drawing on paper, to Nashville-based conservator, Christine Young, in hopes of halting discoloration to the already darkened work. Young was tasked with removing the acidic core of the paperboard that the drawing was mounted on, which was causing the discoloration. After carefully removing "Seven Blossoms" from its mount, Young discovered a previously unknown second drawing by Klee on the reverse.

Kim Spence, Curator of Prints, Drawings, and Photographs at the Speed Art Museum said, "Any discovery of a new work by an artist of Klee’s significance is exciting, but this discovery is particularly significant for the Speed. It expands our representation of the artist and illustrates different facets of his artistic production."

The drawing, which depicts a town or village with geometric buildings set against a faint landscape, will go on view at the museum's satellite space, Local Speed, on February 28, 2014. The work will be displayed in a double-sided frame so that both Klee compositions will be visible.