Wassily Kandinsky

Born in Moscow in 1866, he first studied law and economics and even taught at the university level before turning seriously to art in the 1890s. He moved to Munich in 1896 to train as a painter, and over time became one of the key figures in the rise of modern art.

His work moved from landscapes and folk-inspired scenes toward bold, increasingly abstract compositions. He was a central force in the Blue Rider group and later taught at the Bauhaus, where he explored how color, line, and form could work almost like music.

After the Bauhaus was closed by the Nazis, he settled in France, where he continued painting until his death in 1944. Today he is remembered not only for luminous paintings but also for helping open the door to abstract art as a major language of the twentieth century.