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Kandinsky
20
Basic Art Series
Throughout his artistic career, Wassily Kandinsky transformed not only his own practice, but the course of art history itself. This essential guide traces Kandinsky’s rich repertoire to present the painter, engraver, teacher, and theorist credited with the first modern abstract painting and with one of the keenest theoretical minds of 20th-century art.
Hardcover, 8.3 x 10.2 in., 1.38 lb, 96 pages
Kandinsky
20Abstract Beginnings
A pivotal portfolio in the history of art
Over the course of his artistic career, Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944) transformed not only his own style, but the course of art history. From early figurative and landscape painting, he went on to pioneer a spiritual, emotive, rhythmic use of color and line and is today credited with creating the first purely abstract work.
As much a teacher and theorist as he was a practicing artist, Kandinsky’s interests in music, theater, poetry, philosophy, ethnology, myth, and the occult, were all essential components to his painting and engraving. He was involved with both the influential Blaue Reiter and Bauhaus groups and left a legacy not only of dazzling visual work, but also of highly influential treatises such as Concerning the Spiritual in Art. Key tenets included the connections between painting, music and mystical experience, and the purification of art away from material realism and towards an emotional expression, condensed in particular by color.
This book presents key Kandinsky works to introduce his repertoire of vivid colors, forms, and feelings. Tracing the artist’s radical stylistic development, it shows how one painter’s progression paved the way for generations of abstract expression to come.
As much a teacher and theorist as he was a practicing artist, Kandinsky’s interests in music, theater, poetry, philosophy, ethnology, myth, and the occult, were all essential components to his painting and engraving. He was involved with both the influential Blaue Reiter and Bauhaus groups and left a legacy not only of dazzling visual work, but also of highly influential treatises such as Concerning the Spiritual in Art. Key tenets included the connections between painting, music and mystical experience, and the purification of art away from material realism and towards an emotional expression, condensed in particular by color.
This book presents key Kandinsky works to introduce his repertoire of vivid colors, forms, and feelings. Tracing the artist’s radical stylistic development, it shows how one painter’s progression paved the way for generations of abstract expression to come.
The author
Hajo Düchting (1949–2017) studied art history, philosophy, and archaeology in Munich, where he gained his doctorate in 1981 with a thesis on Robert Delaunay’s Windows series. After working in museum and adult education, he moved on to teaching posts and guest professorships at the universities of Munich, Kassel, Leipzig, Saarbrücken, and Mainz. Düchting published numerous articles on the art of the modern era, color theory, and the teaching of art, and authored a number of TASCHEN titles, including Paul Cézanne, Wassily Kandinsky, and Georges Seurat.
Kandinsky
Hardcover, 21 x 26 cm, 0.63 kg, 96 pagesISBN 978-3-8365-0746-2
Edition: EnglishDownload product images here
Born back in 1985, the Basic Art Series has evolved into the best-selling art book collection ever published. Each book in TASCHEN’s Basic Art series features:
• a detailed chronological summary of the life and oeuvre of the artist, covering his or her cultural and historical importance
• a concise biography
• approximately 100 illustrations with explanatory captions
4.7
Basic Art Series es genial
December 10, 2021
Estoy construyendo mi biblioteca y La serie Basic Art es genial porque provee con toda la información basica de los grandes artistas de la historia en una edición cuidada y preciosa. 100% recomendada, sobretodo si es para tener varios!Kandinsky at his finest!
November 7, 2021
As part of Taschen's Basic Art series, "Kandinsky" leads the reader on the varied artwork he created. Author Hajo Düchting does an excellent job telling the story of Wassily Kandinsky's journey from landscapes to being one of the first to create purely abstract art. Taschen's quality is never second rate. The colors almost jump off the page. This is a definite must have for abstract art lovers.Good value for money
October 28, 2021
It may not be the best summary of Kandinsky’s oeuvre, but for those who don’t have much time, it’s the perfect value-for-money choice for getting to know Kandinsky’s life and major works.