Blau in Rund und Spitz 1933

"Blau in Rund und Spitz," or "Blue in Round and Point," is a watercolor painting by Wassily Kandinsky. It’s got this amazing sense of play—lines and geometric shapes in blues, reds, grays, and browns floating on the paper. I wonder what Kandinsky was thinking, working with these shapes, building a composition that feels both structured and totally free. There's a central cross-like shape that anchors the piece, but everything else seems to dance around it, like notes in a piece of music. The blue hues especially grab me, how they vary in tone and saturation. They really create a sense of depth and movement. The thin washes of color allow the paper to peek through, making the painting feel light and airy. Kandinsky's work, and the work of so many painters, reminds us that painting is an ongoing experiment. An artist can ask a question, explore an idea, and maybe even find an answer. But more often than not, they generate even more questions along the way, pushing the boundaries of what painting can be.