Priya Kapoor
Circles have been a recurring theme in art for the last 100 years, with many artists experimenting with the shape in different mediums. One of the most famous paintings with a circle as the central theme is Circles in a Circle by Wassily Kandinsky. Completed in 1923, the painting features a thick black circle surrounding 26 overlapping circles of different sizes and colours, intersected by straight black lines. Another famous painting with a circle as a central theme is The Magic Circle by John William Waterhouse. Painted in 1886, it depicts a witch or sorceress drawing a fiery magic circle on the earth to create a ritual space for her ceremonial magic.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Artist | Wassily/Vasily Kandinsky |
| Year | 1923 |
| Title | Circles in a Circle |
| Medium | Oil on canvas |
| Style | Expressionism |
| Description | A thick black circle surrounds 26 overlapping circles of varying sizes and colours, intersected by straight black lines. Two stripes of blue and yellow cross from the top corners towards the centre, changing the colours of the circles where they overlap. |
| Interpretation | Kandinsky believed that the circle was the "synthesis of the greatest oppositions", combining "the concentric and the excentric in a single form, and in balance". He also believed that colour could convey emotion without showing a particular object or figure. |
| Exhibition | The painting was exhibited at the Philadelphia Museum of Art. |
The Magic Circle
There is also a painting titled "The Magic Circle" by John William Waterhouse. Here are its characteristics: | Characteristics | Values | | --- | --- | | Artist | John William Waterhouse | | Year | 1886 | | Title | The Magic Circle | | Medium | Oil on canvas | | Style | Pre-Raphaelite | | Description | A witch or sorceress uses a wand to draw a fiery magic circle on the Earth to create a ritual space for ceremonial magic. The landscape outside the circle is bare and barren, while the inside contains flowers. | | Interpretation | The painting's meaning is unclear, but its mystery and exoticism were well-received by contemporary critics and the public. | | Exhibition | The painting was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1886 and the National Gallery of Australia in 2018-2019. |
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What You'll Learn
Wassily Kandinsky's 'Circles in a Circle'
"Circles in a Circle" is a painting by Wassily Kandinsky, created in 1923 using oil on canvas. This artwork is a compact and closed composition, featuring a thick black circle that surrounds twenty-six overlapping circles of various sizes and colours, many intersected by straight black lines. Two stripes of blue and yellow extending from the top corners add a perspective to the composition and change the colours of the circles where they overlap.
Kandinsky believed that certain colours and shapes signified emotions, and he saw the circle as the most elementary of forms, with cosmic significance. In a letter written in 1931, he described "Circles in a Circle" as his first painting to bring the theme of circles to the foreground. This work reflects his belief that colours and shapes could be codified and combined to reflect the harmony of the cosmos.
The painting demonstrates Kandinsky's distinctive style from the early 1920s, when he began teaching at the Bauhaus in Weimar, Germany. During this period, he moved away from spontaneous painting towards a more geometric composition. "Circles in a Circle" showcases his thoughtful study of the circle as an artistic unit, with the outer black circle framing the interaction between the inner circles.
The renowned artist Marcel Duchamp praised Kandinsky's work, noting that he "opened to the spectator a new way of looking at painting... a clear transfer of thought on canvas." Duchamp recognised the unique combination of geometric forms and subtle colour harmonies in "Circles in a Circle," contributing to an effervescent, abstract composition.
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Kandinsky's artistic philosophy
The Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky is considered to be one of the first Western proponents of abstract painting. His artistic philosophy revolved around the belief that art should be an expression of the inner workings of the artist's soul and a manifestation of their psyche, thoughts, and feelings. This philosophy, which he termed "inner necessity", was influenced by his interest in the spiritual and transcendental.
Kandinsky's artistic journey began in Munich, where he studied at Anton Ažbe's private school and the Academy of Fine Arts. He was particularly influenced by Impressionist and Fauvist paintings, which inspired him to embrace freedom in his use of colour. He also developed many of his theories on artistic creation as a spiritual act in his seminal text, "Concerning the Spiritual in Art" (1911).
Kandinsky's visual vocabulary evolved through three phases. His early works were representational canvases with divine symbolism, which later transformed into rapturous and operatic compositions. In his later works, he explored geometric and biomorphic flat planes of colour, experimenting with shapes such as circles, half-circles, straight lines, angles, squares, checkerboards, and triangles. He saw circles as symbols of progression and renewal and created several artworks using concentric circles, with his most famous being "Squares with Concentric Circles" (1913).
Kandinsky's interest in the spiritual and transcendental was further influenced by Aleksandra Unkovskaya's presentation on sound-to-colour synesthesia at the Theosophical Congress in Budapest in 1909. This led him to develop the concept of a chain reaction experience between the artist and viewer, where art serves as a medium to evoke emotions and sensations.
Kandinsky's theoretical works and teachings at the Bauhaus school of art and architecture also played a significant role in shaping his artistic philosophy. He believed that art should be about freedom and that artists should be prepared to be misunderstood. He encouraged experimentation and spontaneity, emphasising the importance of the subconscious and the artist's inner expression in their work.
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John William Waterhouse's 'The Magic Circle'
John William Waterhouse's "The Magic Circle" is an 1886 oil painting in the Pre-Raphaelite style. The painting depicts a witch or sorceress using a wand to draw a fiery magic circle on the Earth, creating a ritual space for her ceremonial magic. The surrounding landscape is hazy, and the background figures are only discernible upon close inspection, ensuring that the witch is the only image of importance.
Waterhouse's painting is similar in composition to his later 1916 work, "Miranda - The Tempest," which also portrays a woman associated with magic. "The Magic Circle" is one of Waterhouse's earlier works and reflects his fascination with the exotic. The woman in the picture has the appearance of a Middle Eastern woman with an early Anglo-Saxon hairstyle and a dress decorated with Persian or Greek warriors. She holds a crescent-shaped sickle in her left hand, linking her with the moon and Hecate, and a wand in her right hand, with which she draws a protective magic circle around herself.
The painting is rich in symbolism. Outside the circle, the landscape is bare and barren, and a group of ravens or rooks and a frog—symbols of evil associated with witchcraft—are excluded. Within the circle, there are flowers and the woman herself, objects of beauty. The painting's meaning is unclear, but its mystery and exoticism struck a chord with contemporary observers. It was exhibited at the Royal Academy in 1886 to great acclaim, with the critic for the Magazine of Art praising Waterhouse's originality and pictorial results.
There are two copies of "The Magic Circle." The smaller version, measuring 88 cm high and 60 cm wide, is held by a private collector. Waterhouse also painted a study for the painting, measuring 61.5 cm high and 41.2 cm wide, which is also held by a private collector. The larger prime version was shown at the Royal Academy in 1886 and purchased that year by the Tate Gallery for £650.
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The circle as a symbol
The circle is a symbol with a rich history in art. From Wassily Kandinsky's "Circles in a Circle" to John William Waterhouse's "The Magic Circle", this shape has captivated artists and viewers alike. In Kandinsky's work, the circle becomes a vehicle for exploring emotions and abstract expression, while Waterhouse harnesses its symbolic power in a supernatural narrative.
Wassily Kandinsky, a Russian-born artist, pioneered the use of circles in his paintings, challenging traditional artistic subjects. He viewed the circle as a fundamental unit, writing, "Everything starts from a dot," and believed that certain colours and shapes, like the circle, signified emotions. Kandinsky's "Circles in a Circle" (1923) is a striking example of his style, featuring a thick black circle encompassing twenty-six overlapping circles of various sizes and colours, intersected by straight black lines. The outer circle, like a second frame, directs our attention to the interplay of the inner circles, enhanced by intersecting diagonal stripes.
Kandinsky's exploration of the circle extended beyond this painting. He saw the dot or point as an "ideally small circle," believing it to be the most basic element of painting, capable of generating infinite lines and shapes. This fascination with circles and their potential for expression is further evident in his "Colour study, Squares with concentric circles" (1913) and his exploration of colour harmonies in "Circles in a Circle."
John William Waterhouse, on the other hand, utilised the circle in a different manner in his 1886 painting "The Magic Circle." This Pre-Raphaelite style oil painting depicts a witch or sorceress creating a ritual space by drawing a fiery magic circle on the ground with her wand. The circle here serves as a boundary, excluding symbols of evil and enclosing flowers and the woman herself, who are objects of beauty. The painting's meaning may be ambiguous, but its exoticism and mystery captivated contemporary observers.
The circle has also been a subject of exploration for artists beyond Kandinsky and Waterhouse. Richard Pousette-Dart, for example, experimented with the circle in various mediums, referring to it as "the compass of eternity." The recurrence of circles in art, as seen in exhibitions like "First Circle: Circles in Art," demonstrates the enduring fascination with this shape and its symbolic nature.
In conclusion, the circle as a symbol in art has a profound and diverse history. From Kandinsky's abstract expressions to Waterhouse's supernatural narratives, the circle has served as a vehicle for artistic exploration, emotional storytelling, and the contemplation of eternity. Through their works, artists have harnessed the power of the circle, inviting viewers to perceive art in new ways and discover universal symbols that transcend cultures.
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Circles in modern and contemporary art
Circles have been used in art for millennia, and their use continues in modern and contemporary art. Circles have been used to symbolize a variety of concepts, from unending love to the cycle of life and renewal. The exhibition "First Circle: Circles in Art" explores the recurrence of circles in art over the last 100 years and how the longer history of this symbolic shape has influenced modern and contemporary artists.
Wassily Kandinsky's 1923 painting "Circles in a Circle" is a notable example of the use of circles in modern art. In this work, a thick black circle surrounds twenty-six overlapping circles of varying sizes and colors, many intersected by straight black lines. Kandinsky believed that certain colors and shapes signify emotions that can be codified and combined to reflect the harmony of the cosmos. For him, the circle was the most elementary of forms, with cosmic and symbolic significance. In a letter, he described "Circles in a Circle" as "the first picture of mine to bring the theme of circles to the forefront."
Kandinsky's use of circles can also be seen in his earlier work, "Colour study, Squares with concentric circles" (1913). Kandinsky saw the dot or point as an "ideally small circle," the most basic element of painting, believing that "everything starts from a dot."
Another example of circles in modern art is the work of Richard Pousette-Dart, who explored the use of circles in his paintings such as "Radiance" (1962-63) and "Presence, Healing Circles" (1973-74). Pousette-Dart's work was included in the "First Circle: Circles in Art" exhibition, alongside artists such as Anish Kapoor, Franz Kline, and Suh Se Ok, showcasing the global prevalence of circles in modern and contemporary art.
Circles have also been used in contemporary art to explore the intersection of cultures and their symbolic nature. For example, the work of Jae Kon Park, a post-World War II modernist who immigrated from South Korea to South America, theorized that art evolved from lines and dots transformed into the sacred circle, which he saw as a Mandala, a motif found in various cultures. Anish Kapoor's wall sculpture, "Halo," also invokes the circle's symbolic nature, layering meanings through the use of a pleated mirror.
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Frequently asked questions
Circles in a Circle.
Wassily or Vasily Kandinsky.
1923.
Kandinsky believed that certain colours and shapes signify emotions that can be codified and combined into a whole, reflecting the harmony of the cosmos. The circle, for him, was the most elementary of forms, with cosmic significance.
