Composition IV: Kandinsky's Abstract Symphony

Kandinsky and the Dawn of Abstraction

Wassily Kandinsky is widely considered the father of abstract art. His work, including Composition IV, belongs to a series of completely abstract pieces.

Analyzing Composition IV

The style of Composition IV depicts an abstract battle, potentially inspired by knights or fairy tales, interpreted as a dynamic struggle between pictorial elements. Yellow confronts blue, and straight lines contrast with curved lines. While some identifiable elements might seem present initially, Kandinsky's methods tend to dissolve them, focusing instead on the contrast of colors within fluid contours.

In the center, a blue mountain appears, crowned by a castle's silhouette. Fighting knights are also depicted. Kandinsky aimed for a narrative character in his paintings, but here the story transforms into a conflict between abstract elements: striking colors like yellow and blue, alongside curves and angles.

Kandinsky's Artistic Philosophy

Kandinsky's paintings are often described as a true symphony of colors, possessing exciting beauty and transmitting deep emotion. He believed fundamental elements included the point (an original, static cell) and the line (the trace of a point in motion). His inspiration often came from diverse sources, including fairy tale scenes.

Kandinsky's First Abstract Watercolor is considered one of the earliest purely abstract paintings. From this period onward, he painted abstract works dominated by dynamism and emotion.

Influences and Development

In his early stages, Kandinsky drew inspiration from artists like Gauguin and Van Gogh, as well as from the vibrant colors of church stained glass windows and the works of the Fauvists. Working spontaneously, he created abstract compositions often based on underlying images from landscapes, legends, and biblical themes. He mixed styles in his works, especially during his early period.

Key Series and Movements

Between 1910 and 1914, Kandinsky created three significant categories of work:

• Impressions: Works where the external object or starting point can still be discerned.
• Improvisations: Works arising spontaneously from internal necessity and emotion.
• Compositions: More meticulously prepared and developed canvases built upon preliminary studies.

In 1911, he co-founded the Expressionist movement Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider). The movement's aim was the emancipation of art from its purely representational function. Kandinsky sought a pictorial language that allowed the spectator to communicate directly and spiritually with the painting. He conceived of painting as an independent art form capable of direct communication, connecting the artist and the viewer on an emotional and spiritual level.