Art Wednesday: Wassily Kandinsky

Today's Art Wednesday is not like others I have done before and you may not like them at all.  When learning about art one should not ignore modern art and today's artist falls into this category.  I first met this artist when I was studying art in Year 12 and I liked him then and I still do today. 

Artist: Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944)
Birthplace: Russia
Considered one of the first pure abstract artists

You will be able to clearly see the difference in his early works compared to his later works - In fact you might find it hard to believe that these are all done by the same artist.  Those pieces painted in the early 1900's had a boldness of brush work and a strength that was absent in his very early work.  I just love all the colours he uses. This all changed when he moved into the abstract world of art, his works became very detailed and that boldness disappears to be replace by angular lines.  But he never lost his love for colour as all his works are full of bold colours.

Odessa Port, 1898
Old Town II, 1902

 Houses at Murau on Obermarkt, 1908
 Rapallo boats
 Autumn in Bavaria, 1908
Winter landscape, 1909
According to Kandinsky, Composition VII was the most complex piece he ever painted, 1913
 Transverse Line, 1923
 Composition VIII, 1923
 Black Grid, 1922
 Composition X, painted during WWII, 1939

Art works from: LINK

~oOo~

Comments

  1. Ok, I have to admit, all those paintings that are largely lines, blobs and shapes are just NOT my kind of art. To me they are just chaotic and convey nothing!!

    However, I do like the first painting. :)

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  2. Clara - just broadening your artistic horizens!! I really like "Autumn in Bavaria", to me it really feels like a warm Autumns day. When I was at school I reproduced one of the abstract paintings and it is really very detailed and not random at all. But abstract art isn't to everyones taste.

    Next weeks art will be very traditional!!! I just decided on the artist and I think you will like it:)

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  3. I'm with Clara on this one too, sorry Jo! but.... it's good to 'appreciate' beauty even if the art is not to my taste:)

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  4. One thing that is really interesting to not with Kandinsky is the eras through which he painted. Despite the horrific life going on in Europe during those times he still kept bright colors.
    Being unable to see anything in the paintings just means you have to actually look at them. You can't pass them off as "Oh, that's just a house" or "just another painting of a cottage". Just as in other paintings, his lines and colors draw you to a certain point, and it might just look like just a mess but it's been very carefully crafted.

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  5. Jo,

    No, these were not my favorite paintings, but I do like his use of vivid colors.

    For some odd reason though, I find his piece Composition VII to be one of my favorite paintings from this Artist's collection. The first painting, with the boats surrounded by bright yellow colors is also good. This painting reminded me of an old movie.

    It's interesting how in midstream, he decided to go into abstract art. Interesting, indeed!

    -L. Rose

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  6. My favorite is Rapallo boats. Although I don't at all care for the others, I really like that one.

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  7. I've never cared for Kandinsky. Geometrics & angular lines upset me & so I don't particularly like his latter work ~ which is the work I mostly know. Odd, because I like many of the cubists ~ & they suffer from some of the same things. Interesting choice.

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  8. maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaate

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