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Wassily Kandinsky was a Russian painter and art theorist born in Moscow, Russia, in 1866. Kandinsky is known for his contributions to the Expressionist movement and his innovative approach to visual art, which often involved drawing parallels between painting and music. He began his studies in painting at the age of 30, enrolling in a Munich art school to study with Anton Azbe. Kandinsky's art has had a significant influence on 20th-century movements like Abstract Expressionism, and his theories about the expressive possibilities of art continue to inspire modern artists.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Birth | Wassily Kandinsky was born on December 16, 1866, in Moscow, Russia |
| Nationality | Russian |
| Movement | He is credited as a pioneer of abstract art and is generally regarded as the first important painter of modern times to embrace pure abstraction |
| Style | His work was influenced by Expressionism, Surrealism, and Lyrical Abstraction, and he is known for his innovative use of color and form |
| Media | Kandinsky worked in various media, including painting, printmaking, and art theory. |
| Training | He studied law and economics at the University of Moscow, receiving a degree in law in 1892, which allowed him to teach law and political economy at the University of Dorpat (now Tartu) |
| Career | Kandinsky's artistic career began in 1896 when he decided to pursue art full-time, enrolling at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. He co-founded the avant-garde art group "The Blue Rider" in 1911, and his first abstract paintings were exhibited in 1913. |
| Death | He passed away on December 13, 1944, in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France. |
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What You'll Learn
Kandinsky was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1866
Wassily Kandinsky was born in Moscow, Russia, on 16 December 1866 (4 December according to the Old Style calendar). He was born into a well-to-do family of a businessman, and his family moved to Odessa in 1871, where his father ran a tea factory. Kandinsky's father was of mixed ethnic origins, born close to Mongolia, while his mother was a Muscovite, and his grandmother was from the German-speaking Baltic.
Kandinsky's childhood was marked by an extraordinary sensitivity towards sounds, words, and colours. Recognising his son's gift for the arts, Kandinsky's father enrolled him in private drawing classes and music lessons, where he learned to play the piano and the cello. Despite this early exposure to the arts, Kandinsky did not take up painting until he was 30 years old. Instead, he entered the University of Moscow in 1886 to study law, ethnography, and economics, graduating with honours.
In 1896, Kandinsky left for Munich, then considered one of the centres of European art. There, he enrolled in the prestigious private painting school of Anton Ažbe (or Anton Azbe), a Slovenian Realist known for figure drawing. During this time, Kandinsky also studied under the German graphic artist Franz Stuck. After two years at Ažbe's school, Kandinsky took a year to work on his craft independently before enrolling at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts. He received his diploma in 1900 and began to achieve moderate success as an artist in touch with modern trends.
In 1901, Kandinsky co-founded Phalanx, an artists' association opposed to the conservative views of traditional art institutions. The group expanded to include an art school and an exhibitions wing. In 1909, Kandinsky co-founded another group, The New Group of Artists (Neue Kunstlervereinigung), and became its president. During this period, Kandinsky travelled extensively through Europe and North Africa, familiarising himself with the growing Expressionist movement and developing his own artistic style.
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He studied law and economics at the University of Moscow
Wassily Kandinsky was born in Moscow, Russia, on December 4 [December 16, New Style], 1866. He was born into a well-to-do family, with a businessman father and a mother from Moscow. Kandinsky's father was born close to Mongolia, and his grandmother was from the German-speaking Baltic region. The family moved to Odessa in 1871, where Kandinsky spent most of his childhood.
Despite showing an early interest and talent for art, Kandinsky's parents viewed him as a future lawyer. In 1886, he entered the University of Moscow, where he studied law, ethnography, and economics. He graduated with honours and married his cousin, Anna Chimyakina, in 1892.
After graduating from the University of Moscow, Kandinsky began a career as a lawyer and, in 1892, he was offered a professorship in Roman law at the University of Dorpat in Estonia. However, Kandinsky's true passion lay in art and painting. In 1896, at the age of 30, he left his legal career behind and moved to Munich, Germany, to pursue his dream of becoming a painter.
Kandinsky enrolled in Anton Ažbe's prestigious private painting school, where he received his first formal training in image composition, line work, and form. He studied alongside fellow Russian Alexej von Jawlensky, who introduced him to Munich's avant-garde society. After two years at Ažbe's school, Kandinsky took a year to work on his own before enrolling at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts to study under the renowned German graphic artist, Franz von Stuck.
Kandinsky's decision to leave his legal career and pursue art was a bold one. By the time he returned to Moscow in 1914, he had established himself as a pioneer of abstraction in Western art. Despite his success in Germany, Kandinsky's spiritual outlook and artistic views clashed with the argumentative materialism of Soviet society. He returned to Germany in 1920 and continued to make significant contributions to the world of art.
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Kandinsky moved to Munich, Germany, in 1896
Wassily Kandinsky was born on 16 December 1866 in Moscow, Russia. He came from a well-to-do family and enjoyed a respectable life. In 1871, his family moved to Odessa, where his father ran a tea factory. Kandinsky learned to play the piano and cello and took up drawing with a coach.
In 1886, Kandinsky went to Moscow to attend the Law Faculty of Moscow University. After graduating with honours, he married his cousin Anna Chimyakina (also known as Anja Semjakina or Ania Tchimiakina) six years later. Kandinsky then pursued a promising career in law and economics.
However, in 1896, Kandinsky left Moscow and moved to Munich, Germany, to pursue his artistic ambitions. Munich was considered a centre of European art at the time, and Kandinsky enrolled at Anton Ažbe's prestigious private painting school. He studied under Ažbe from 1897 to 1899, receiving his first skills in image composition and working with line and form. Kandinsky's time with Ažbe was a significant yet often overlooked stage in his career.
After leaving Ažbe's school, Kandinsky continued his studies at the Munich Academy of Fine Arts, where he was taught by Franz von Stuck. He graduated with a diploma in 1900 and achieved moderate success as an artist in the following years.
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He studied at Anton Ažbe's private school and the Academy of Fine Arts
Wassily Kandinsky was born in Moscow, Russia, in 1866. He studied law, ethnography, and economics at the University of Moscow and went on to teach law at the University of Dorpat in Estonia. At the age of 30, he moved to Munich to pursue his passion for painting.
In Munich, Kandinsky studied at Anton Ažbe's private school for two years, receiving his first skills in image composition, work with line and form, and figure drawing. He then took a year to work on his own before enrolling at the Academy of Fine Arts (also known as the Munich Academy), where he studied under the German graphic artist Franz von Stuck. Kandinsky graduated from the academy with a diploma in 1900.
During his studies, Kandinsky also began teaching. He founded Phalanx, an art group and school in Munich in 1901, where he himself taught classes. In 1909, he co-founded The New Group of Artists (MKUM) and became its president.
Kandinsky's early works were influenced by his studies of Monet and Richard Wagner, as well as the teachings of anthroposophy, and his personal experiences with art. He also drew inspiration from his travels through Europe and North Africa, during which he familiarized himself with the growing Expressionist movement.
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In 1901, Kandinsky co-founded Phalanx, an artists' association
In 1901, Wassily Kandinsky co-founded the Phalanx Association, a group that provided a platform for modern artists to exhibit their work and share their ideas. At the time, Kandinsky was in his mid-thirties and had already established a successful career as a lawyer and teacher. However, he had always been interested in art and had begun to focus more on his painting in the late 1890s.
The Phalanx Association was a significant step for Kandinsky in pursuing his artistic passion. The association served as a school, exhibiting gallery, and studio, providing a much-needed space for modern artists to gather and exchange thoughts. It was a progressive venture, offering a diverse range of courses, including life-drawing, still life, and landscape painting, as well as more unconventional subjects like woodcarving and metalwork.
Kandinsky's role in Phalanx was instrumental. He taught classes himself, sharing his knowledge and skills with students. The association also provided him with an opportunity to exhibit his own work. During this period, Kandinsky's style was evolving, moving towards abstraction, and his teaching methods reflected this, encouraging students to explore their emotions and express them through their art.
Phalanx attracted a diverse range of artists, including Paul Klee, who would later become a close friend and colleague of Kandinsky. The association provided a platform for like-minded individuals to connect and foster a sense of community, which was especially important for artists embracing more modern and experimental styles.
Unfortunately, Phalanx disbanded in 1904 due to financial difficulties and internal disagreements. However, its impact on Kandinsky's career and the wider art world was significant. It provided a crucial stepping stone for Kandinsky, allowing him to fully embrace his artistic path and make connections that would shape his future endeavors, including the formation of the influential group, Der Blaue Reiter, in 1911.
Kandinsky's involvement with Phalanx highlights his dedication to promoting modern artistic expressions and his own role in shaping the future of art. It was a pivotal moment in his career, marking the beginning of his journey towards becoming one of the most renowned and influential artists of the 20th century.
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Frequently asked questions
Wassily Kandinsky was born on 16 December 1866 in Moscow, Russia.
Kandinsky studied art in Munich, Germany. He studied at Anton Ažbe's private school and then at the Academy of Fine Arts.
Kandinsky became a German citizen in 1928.
No, he immigrated to Paris in 1933 when the Nazis forced the Bauhaus school of architecture in Weimar, where he was teaching, to close. He acquired French citizenship in 1939 and died in Neuilly-sur-Seine, France, in 1944.
