Wassily Kandinsky

Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944) was a leader in the avant garde art world, and the creator of the first modern abstract paintings. Originally a lawyer in his native Russia, he was inspired to study art at age 30 after seeing Monet’s “Haystacks”. Kandinsky was gripped by a compulsion to create relentlessly, and believed that if this drive were pure, it would evoke a correspondingly powerful response in viewers. His unique perspective on form and function resulted in stunningly vibrant works where color became a direct expression of emotion rather than a faithful description of nature or subject matter.