Description
Considered the pioneer of abstract art, Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky was easily recognized as the most iconic member of the entire movement. Dubbed the "father of abstract art", Kandinsky painted some of the earliest works within the genre, including what was said to be the first true artwork of the abstract art period. The artwork in question, which he painted in 1910, was Untitled (first abstract watercolour).
This painting was done in watercolor and India ink, with a light use of pencil underneath. It was one of Kandinsky's best-known watercolors.
There is a good burst of color in it, as is found in most of his paintings, but the use of watercolors rather than oils leaves a visibly different finish that makes this artwork interesting and quite unique from its production in 1910. The work up close appears to be completed quickly, which is typical of this art form as the paint dries very quickly. He also works expressively, not caring too much about precision, but focusing more on the choice of colors and filling the canvas with different shapes and lines. It was really abstract and this was something that came up more and more as he went on in his career, as he got further and further away from reality in the forms that he used.
Kandinsky specialized in oils but worked with watercolors from time to time. He would have found this medium easy to work with and something that was also well suited to quick study pieces, where he was looking to understand the design for a future piece. He also made use of lithographs, woodcuts and etchings at other times, particularly in the early stages of his career when he was particularly experimental.
Working with watercolors, Kandinsky was able to complete this painting in just three days. However, despite his haste, Kandinsky made several studies for this work of art before beginning the final composition. What added to the speed that can be played in Untitled was his color choice, as Kandinsky artfully chose colors that he knew would accurately represent his emotions at the time. The lines and shapes that were drawn also add to and emphasize the chaos and urgency that is experienced when viewing this painting.
Abstraction is also clearly demonstrated within this artwork through the loose and vague lines depicted, sparking considerable interest among the art crowd at the time. Untitled exists as a major instigator of the abstract art movement, as it was the first time that something remotely separate and unrestrained was accepted as a proper subject matter within artworks at the time. Untitled marked a defining point within European art as the move away from traditional artworks towards more abstract and uninhibited pieces of art.
The period between 1910 and 1914 was considered the peak of Kandinsky's career and the pinnacle of his greatest artistic achievements. Untitled thus existed as one of the first works of art that brazenly discarded all references to recognizable forms and emerged from the limitations posed by the representational conventions of Western European painting.
This notion of total freedom came to feature prominently in most of the works created by Kandinsky during this period.