|
Wassily Kandinsky (1866 – 13 December 1944) is credited for creating the first true piece of abstract art. Pioneer of the modern art movement he was famous for combining his love of music with the visualization of forms, lines & colours.
Born in Moscow, Kandinsky had an impressive academic record studying Law & Economics at the University of Moscow. After graduating he become a Professor of Law until 1896 when he decided to dedicate his life to painting.
In this edition we take a journey through his life and the impact it had on his developing style. |
 |
Munich, 1896-1911In the 1890s Munich was the place to be for any aspiring artist. Kandinsky enrolled at The Munich Academy of Arts and was lucky enough to study under Germany's number one graphic artist Franz Stuck. Although Stuck was happy with his student, he considered Kandinsky's use of colour too bright, this led to a period where Kandinsky painted solely in Black & White.
In 1903 Kandinsky became friends with the artist Gabriela Muter, they travelled across Europe together, finally setting roots down in a small town in the Alps. This period is where Kandinsky began to find his form. The paintings of this period were heavily landscape inspired, with bright colour blocks and lines, representing Kandinsky's reality of the world around him.
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
In 1911 Kandinsky along with Franz Marc, August Macke, Albert Bloch and Gabriele Munter formed the set group the Blue Rider (Der Blaue Reiter). It was in this period that Kandinsky first theorised that you could connect with art on a spiritual as well as on a visual plane. His paintings from this period were bold, bright colours, large and expressive.
|
|
|
|
 Improvisation No. 30 (Cannons) From $63.00 |
 |
Back in Germany(1922–1933)Returning to Germany Kandinsky accepted a position teaching at the well-known Bauhaus. Seen as Kandinsky's most productive years, his work developed a new geometric style. Circles, angles, straight lines, and curves, formed the focal point of his art. This new creative course influenced by his second theoretical book "Point and Line to Plane". It was at this time he created the famous Small World Series of prints, rich in fantasy and character. “The artist must have something to say, for mastery over form is not his goal but rather the adapting of form to its inner meaning.” |
|
|
Kandinsky's effect on the world of modern art can be likened to that of Shakespeare's on the literary world. The high standard of his work throughout his life and the sheer volume he created has seldom been matched. Wassily Kandinsky was a game-changer, a visionary and a genius.
"Kandinsky's art is not a reflection of life, it is life itself ” - Diego Rivera.
Shop all of our Kandinsky collection.
