Study on ‘Panic’ 1907

Wassily Kandinsky painted 'Study on Panic' using gouache, ink, and watercolor on paper. Kandinsky, deeply affected by the turbulence of early 20th-century Europe, sought to capture the raw emotion of his time. Here, vibrant yet uneasy colors and abstracted figures converge to evoke the chaotic energy of panic. The figures seem caught between dread and frenzied motion. Is it a commentary on societal anxiety, mass hysteria, or the breakdown of order? Perhaps Kandinsky was interested in the psychology of crowds, how individual identities can dissolve into collective emotion. The dark palette and uncertain forms suggest a world teetering on the edge. This piece invites us to reflect on the power of emotion to shape our experiences and the precariousness of social stability. It reminds us that panic, whether personal or collective, is a powerful force with lasting impacts.