Murnau am Staffelsee 1908

"Murnau am Staffelsee," painted by Wassily Kandinsky in 1908, exemplifies his transition from representational art to abstract expressionism. The painting, which is currently housed in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, features a landscape with a mountain range in the background, a lake in the foreground, and a town nestled between the two. Kandinsky, known for his groundbreaking contributions to abstract art, uses bold colors and expressive brushstrokes to evoke the atmosphere and emotion of the scene. The simplified forms and stylized shapes hint at the artist's growing interest in exploring the expressive potential of color and form, paving the way for his later abstract masterpieces. This work serves as a compelling example of Kandinsky's artistic journey and his influence on the development of modern art.