Weimar, 1924. Kandinsky, professor at the Bauhaus, composes a visual symphony. On his cardboard, geometric forms and pure colors dialogue in perfect balance. The Russian painter explores “opposing accords,” those harmonious tensions that structure his plastic research.
An Orchestrated Composition
Observe this painting: a large black circle encloses a deep blue half-disk in the upper left corner. An inverted black triangle responds to this round form. Between them, black lines cross the cream space. Colored forms accumulate: a black and white checkerboard, a bright pink rectangle, staggered triangles. Below, a sinuous line undulates like a wave. Kandinsky paints in oil on cardboard with almost architectural precision. Each element finds its place in this dynamic equilibrium. Primary colors neighbor earthy tones. Black structures, white breathes.
Bauhaus Geometric Abstraction
This work emerges from the heart of Europe’s most revolutionary art school. The Bauhaus unites art, craft, and industry. Kandinsky has been teaching there since 1922. He develops a theory of forms and colors, seeking correspondences between painting and music. “Opposing Accords” expresses this research: tensions and harmonies coexist as in a musical score. The artist refuses the imitation of nature. He creates a universal visual language, based on pure geometry.
Kandinsky, Pioneer of Abstraction
Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) abandoned a legal career at thirty for painting. Trained in Munich, he created the first abstract watercolor in 1910. His theoretical work “Concerning the Spiritual in Art” revolutionized modern artistic thought.
Think about it
💭 What music do you hear while contemplating these dancing forms?
About This Work
- Gegenklänge (Opposing Accords)
- Wassily Kandinsky
- 1924
- Oil on cardboard
- 72 × 52 cm
- Musée des Beaux-Arts de Nantes
- https://www.navigart.fr/museedartsdenantes/artwork/vassily-kandinsky-gegenklange-accords-opposes-110000000002175
