author
Wassily Kandinsky
1866–1944
A pioneer of abstract art, this Russian-born painter and writer changed how people think about color, form, and emotion in modern painting. His work moved from vivid landscapes and folk-inspired scenes to bold compositions that helped define abstraction in the 20th century.
2 Audiobooks
Über das Geistige in der Kunst, Insbesondere in der Malerei
by Wassily Kandinsky
Concerning the Spiritual in Art
by Wassily Kandinsky
About the author
Born in Moscow in 1866, Wassily Kandinsky first studied law and economics at the University of Moscow and even taught there before turning seriously to art in his early thirties. He moved to Munich in 1896 to study painting, a decision that set him on the path to becoming one of the most influential artists of modern times.
Kandinsky is widely seen as one of the pioneers of abstract art. Early on, he painted landscapes and scenes inspired by Russian folk culture, but over time he became more interested in the emotional and spiritual power of color, line, and shape. He was also a major art theorist, writing about the inner life of painting and helping to shape groups such as Der Blaue Reiter.
His career took him from Russia to Germany and later France, and his style kept evolving along the way—from expressive, flowing compositions to more geometric works during his Bauhaus years. He died in 1944, but his paintings and ideas continue to influence artists, designers, musicians, and readers interested in the links between art and feeling.