Small Worlds VII 1922

Wassily Kandinsky made ‘Small Worlds VII’ using gouache and ink on paper. The black ground lets these little worlds of geometric shapes really pop; it’s like looking up at constellations on a clear night. Kandinsky’s marks are assured and playful, and you can almost feel him experimenting with different ways of combining lines, shapes, and colors. Up top, the concentric circles in blue, yellow, and green suggest a kind of radiant energy. His lines are clean and graphic, but there’s also an element of chance, like he’s improvising with his materials to see what happens. Look at how the sharp points contrast with the soft curves, creating a visual rhythm that keeps the eye dancing around the composition. Kandinsky’s work is often compared to music, and ‘Small Worlds VII’ is no exception. It’s like a visual symphony, full of harmony and dissonance. Thinking about his contemporary Paul Klee, both artists seem interested in the magic of color and form!