Klee was born in Münchenbuchsee, a town near Bern in Switzerland. His mother, born Ida Maria Frick, came from Basel in Switzerland. His father, Hans Klee, came from Tann, a small town in the Hesse state of Germany. Both his parents were musicians. When he was very young he trained to be a violinist. Then he decided to become an artist. He studied art under Heinrich Knirr. In 1899 he was admitted to the Academy of Fine arts in Munich. After leaving the academy he also studied art in Italy. After Italy, he returned to Bern and lived with his parents for several years.