The cow 1910

Kandinsky made "The Cow" with oil on canvas; he worked with simple, energetic brushstrokes, playing with a palette of bright colors. There’s something so joyful about the way Kandinsky has laid down these colors, like he’s not trying to trick you into seeing a realistic cow, but rather inviting you into the experience of seeing. He's more interested in feelings than accuracy. Look at the big white form of the cow's body, and how it's edged with blue on top and pink at the bottom. Those colors aren't there to describe the cow, but to give the shape weight, volume, and a kind of buzzing energy. This approach to painting, where feeling trumps form, reminds me of Hilma af Klint who was exploring similar territory around the same time, both artists pointing towards a future for painting where the inner life takes center stage. In the end, it's not about what you see, but what you feel.