Kandinsky's 'Sky Blue': Biomorphic Abstraction from His Late Paris Years
Wassily Kandinsky's painting Sky Blue from 1940 signifies a transformation in his later artistic approach, moving away from geometric designs to more organic forms. An analysis by DailyArt Magazine places this piece within the context of Kandinsky's artistic journey and his time in exile in France. Born in 1866 in Moscow, he initially studied law before turning to painting in Munich in 1896. In 1911, he was a co-founder of Der Blaue Reiter and began teaching at the Bauhaus in 1922. After fleeing Germany in 1933 due to Nazi oppression, he made his home in Neuilly-sur-Seine. Despite the challenges of wartime, he produced around 144 paintings and over 200 watercolors. Sky Blue, housed in the Musée National d'Art Moderne, showcases his late organic abstraction, evoking emotional responses during turbulent times.
Key facts
- Wassily Kandinsky was born in Moscow in 1866 and studied law and economics before pursuing art.
- He co-founded Der Blaue Reiter with Franz Marc in 1911.
- He taught at the Bauhaus from 1922, developing his geometric style.
- He left Germany in 1933 and settled in Neuilly-sur-Seine near Paris in December 1933.
- He produced around 144 paintings and more than 200 watercolors and gouaches in his late period.
- Sky Blue was painted in 1940 and is in the collection of the Musée National d'Art Moderne, Centre Pompidou, Paris.
- The painting features biomorphic forms and an intense blue background, reflecting Kandinsky's favorite color.
- Critics have compared Sky Blue to Joan Miró's Constellations and described it as a 'chinoiserie.'
Entities
Artists
- Wassily Kandinsky
- Franz Marc
- Fernand Léger
- Robert Delaunay
- Sonia Delaunay
- Piet Mondrian
- André Breton
- Jean Arp
- Sophie Taeuber-Arp
- Alberto Magnelli
- Joan Miró
- Max Ernst
- Paul Klee
- Pablo Picasso
Institutions
- Der Blaue Reiter
- Bauhaus
- Academy of Fine Arts, Munich
- University of Moscow
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
- Musée National d'Art Moderne
- Centre Pompidou
- Bibliothèque Kandinsky
- Fundación Joan Miró
- Société industrielle de La Lys
Locations
- Moscow
- Russia
- Munich
- Germany
- Paris
- France
- Neuilly-sur-Seine
- Seine
- Fort Mont-Valérien
- New York City
- USA
- Barcelona
- Spain
- United States