Expressionism |
Wassily Kandinsky |
| When: |
1866-1944 |
| Where: |
Moscow, Russia |
| Early Years: |
His parents played the piano and the zither and
Kandinsky himself learned the piano and cello at an early age.
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Improvisation 7
1910 |
| The influence of music in his paintings cannot
be overstated, down to the names of his paintings Improvisations,
Impressions, and Compositions. |
| In 1886, he enrolled at the University of Moscow,
chose to study law and economics, and after passing his examinations,
lectured at the Moscow Faculty of Law. |
| He enjoyed success not only as a teacher but also
wrote extensively on spirituality, a subject that remained of
great interest and ultimately exerted substantial influence
in his work. |
| Turn to Art: |
In 1895 Kandinsky attended a French Impressionist
exhibition where he saw Monet's "Haystacks at Giverny."
He stated,
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| “ ...it was from the catalog I learned
this was a haystack. I was upset I had not recognized it. I
also thought the painter had no right to paint in such an imprecise
fashion. Dimly I was aware too that the object did not appear
in the picture... ” |
| Soon thereafter, at the age of thirty, Kandinsky
left Moscow and went to Munich to study life-drawing, sketching
and anatomy. |
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| De Blaue Reiter Period: |
Composition IV
1911 |
Worked towards abstraction,
away from the Impressionist figuration.
“...I applied streaks and blobs of colors onto the
canvas with a palette knife and I made them sing with all
the intensity I could…”
Founded the Blue Rider
group with Franz Marc in 1911. |
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| Music & Painting: |
Composition V
1911 |
The term "Composition" can
imply a metaphor with music.
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Music:
- Affects us in sound and time.
- Allow freedom of imagination, interpretation, and emotional
response that is not based on the literal or the descriptive.
- Appeal directly to the artist's "internal element"
and express spiritual values |
| Hence for Kandinsky music is a more advance art. |
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Composition VI
1913 |
"The violins, the deep tones of the basses,
and especially the wind instruments at that time embodied for
me all the power of that pre-nocturnal hour. I saw all my colors
in my mind; they stood before my eyes. Wild, almost crazy lines
were sketched in front of me. I did not dare use the expression
that Wagner had painted 'my hour' musically." |
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Composition VII
1913 |
Here, Kandinsky has obliterated all pictorial
representations, moving closer to pure painting. |
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| Influence of Suprematism & Constructivism: |
Composition VIII
1923 |
Composition VIII reflects the influence of Suprematism
and Constructivism absorbed by Kandinsky while in Russia prior
to his return to Germany to teach at the Bauhaus. Here, Kandinsky
has moved from color to form as the dominating compositional
element. Contrasting forms now provide the dynamic balance of
the work; the large circle in the upper left plays against the
network of precise lines in the right portion of the canvas. |
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| Influence of Surrealism: |
Composition IX
1936 |
Composition IX reflects Kandinsky's exposure in
Paris to Surrealist imagery - Miro in particular.
He is able to visualize a painting entirely in his head and
then translate it directly to the canvas.
The wide diagonal colors serve as a solid background for the
biomorphic and geometrical shapes that seem to float in front
of it. There is an almost dream-like quality to the rhythm and
unfurling of the forms. |
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Composition X
1939 |
The colors and forms appear particularly sharp
against the black background.
The movement of the forms is distinctly upward and outward from
both sides of a central axis running through the book-like form
near the top of the canvas. This movement enhances the evocation
of hot-air balloon forms rising into an infinite space.
The round form between the book shape and the brown balloon
shape has a lunar feel to it that even conveys a feeling of
literal "outer space". |
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A more detail analysis of Kandinsky's Composition
can be found here. |
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