Dimensions height 357 mm, width 343 mm
This print was made by Vasili Kandinsky, though we don’t know exactly when. It’s comprised of lithography – a printmaking technique using a flat stone or metal plate – with touches of color added by hand. While the image itself seems abstract, the making of it ties it to traditions of skilled labor. Lithography is a demanding process, requiring technical expertise and craft. The subtle variations in line and color are all the more impressive when you realize they were achieved through a mechanical process, not direct application of paint. The choice of printmaking also speaks to social context. Unlike a unique painting, a print can be reproduced and distributed widely. This makes Kandinsky’s abstract composition accessible to a broader audience, beyond elite art collectors. The labor involved in printing – from preparing the plate to pulling each impression – further grounds the work in a world of production and circulation. So, while the image may seem purely aesthetic, its making tells a story of both artistic skill and social reach.
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In Munich in the years 1906-1911, the Russian artist Kandinsky formed a group of like-minded artists called Der Blaue Reiter; initially with Jawlensky and then with Franz Marc. Around 1908 he painted his first abstract canvas. He propagated his conviction that one could render harmony with colour as well as with sound in his writings, and his teaching at the Bauhaus from 1922.
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