Wassily Kandinsky's COMPOSITIONS was a series of ten paintings created between 1910 and 1939. Of the ten, only seven survived. The first three were destroyed during World War II.
A common thread runs through the Compositions as Kandinsky searched for a formal language that would powerfully express his philosophical and spiritual concerns. We'll now learn about the seven remaining Compositions.
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| Composition IV ~ 1911 Kandinsky wrote, "From the very onset, the word 'composition' sounded to me like a prayer." His first composition was done in 1910, the last one in 1939. |
- The left side of this painting is teeming with agitation. It shows dark activity in a world gone mad. In contrast, the right side is calmer and lighter....synonymous with spiritual regeneration which is symbolized by the blue mountain in the center.
- Note the two almost straight lines that divide the painting...and the three splotches of red that look like men wearing hats. Two of those unrecognizable figures have their hands wrapped around those black straight lines. Are they lances? Critics have suggested that Composition IV may symbolize the delicate balance between a violent and peaceful society. It may represent Moscow during the revolutionary time in Russia.
I'm still on the outside looking into the world of abstract art. To me, the short black lines on the left remind me of a horse's mane. I see the top of a red heart in the lower right corner. I see a rainbow and a round yellow circle that could be the sun. Toward the lower right, I see two people. What it all means is as clear as mud to me. But, this shows me that I'm able to look at abstract paintings and relate as best I can. It's a start.
Supposedly, Kandinsky took up abstract art after he noticed a picture in his studio that was lying on its side. He instantly recognized only forms and colors that fascinated him. That's when he decided that his work should express the inner character of things, not their surface appearance. He rather sought to reveal the essence of a painting through shape, line and color.
Like Kandinsky's gradual transition from conventional to abstract art, spring is the transitional season between winter and summer.
........................On a personal note, Buffy is staying with us through Friday while her parents are in D.C. at congressional meetings regarding small retail businesses. I've given Buffy the people name, Sally O'Malley. There's a special story behind the name. That's what I called my beloved Emma. I think she'd be happy to pass on the affectionate name to this little Yorkie.
Snow fell yesterday. The three of us sat and watched the flakes get bigger and accumulate. It was an April 1st gift that fell from the heavens to refresh the earth and help push the wildflowers out of the ground.
Tomorrow we'll look at another of Kadinsky's Compositions.