Concerning the Spiritual in Art - Softcover

Wassily Kandinsky

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0486234118 ISBN 13: 9780486234113

Publisher: Dover Publications, 1977

Synopsis

Step into the visionary world of Wassily Kandinsky and his landmark manifesto that redefined modern art by elevating the artist’s inner emotions and creative expression above material reality.

A pioneering work by the great modernist painter Wassily Kandinsky, regarded by many as the father of abstract art and a leader in the movement to liberate art from traditional constraints. Kandinsky's provocative thoughts on color theory and the nature of art crystallized the ideas that influenced many other modern artists during the early twentieth century, settingthe stage for the remarkable rise of abstract art. Analysis of Picasso, Matisse, and earlier masters. 12 illustrations.
 

• Pioneering Modern Art: Recognized as one of the most important documents in art history, this book catalyzed the movement toward abstraction and nonobjective painting.
• Spiritual Revolution in Art: Wassily Kandinsky calls for a break from material representation, urging artists to express their inner lives and spiritual truths through pure color and form.
• Psychology of Color: The book explores how color and shape can directly influence the human soul, offering insight into the emotional power of visual elements.
• Universal Language of Abstraction: By moving beyond representation, Kandinsky establishes art as a universal language capable of communicating deep emotions and spiritual experiences.
• Artist and Viewer Responsibility: Emphasizes the mutual responsibility of artists to seek inner necessity and viewers to cultivate pure perception, thereby fostering a deeper, more meaningful engagement with art.
• Influence and Legacy: Essential reading for artists, students, and patrons, this work continues to inspire those shaping the direction of contemporary painting and abstract art.
• Kandinsky's Art: Includes woodcuts by Kandinsky at the chapter headings.

Let Concerning the Spiritual in Art transform your understanding of creativity—where painting becomes a spiritual journey, and every canvas is a portal to the human soul.

About this title

From the Back Cover

A pioneering work in the movement to free art from its traditional bonds to material reality, this book is one of the most important documents in the history of modern art. Written by the famous nonobjective painter Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944), it explains Kandinsky's own theory of painting and crystallizes the ideas that were influencing many other modern artists of the period. Along with his own groundbreaking paintings, this book had a tremendous impact on the development of modern art.
Kandinsky's ideas are presented in two parts. The first part, called "About General Aesthetic," issues a call for a spiritual revolution in painting that will let artists express their own inner lives in abstract, non-material terms. Just as musicians do not depend upon the material world for their music, so artists should not have to depend upon the material world for their art. In the second part, "About Painting," Kandinsky discusses the psychology of colors, the language of form and color, and the responsibilities of the artist. An Introduction by the translator, Michael T. H. Sadler, offers additional explanation of Kandinsky's art and theories, while a new Preface by Richard Stratton discusses Kandinsky's career as a whole and the impact of the book. Making the book even more valuable are nine woodcuts by Kandinsky himself that appear at the chapter headings.
This English translation of Über das Geistige in der Kunst was a significant contribution to the understanding of nonobjectivism in art. It continues to be a stimulating and necessary reading experience for every artist, art student, and art patron concerned with the direction of 20th-century painting.

From the Inside Flap

A pioneering work in the movement to free art from its traditional bonds to material reality, this book is one of the most important documents in the history of modern art. Written by the famous nonobjective painter Wassily Kandinsky (1866-1944), it explains Kandinsky's own theory of painting and crystallizes the ideas that were influencing many other modern artists of the period. Along with his own groundbreaking paintings, this book had a tremendous impact on the development of modern art.
Kandinsky's ideas are presented in two parts. The first part, called About General Aesthetic, issues a call for a spiritual revolution in painting that will let artists express their own inner lives in abstract, non-material terms. Just as musicians do not depend upon the material world for their music, so artists should not have to depend upon the material world for their art. In the second part, About Painting, Kandinsky discusses the psychology of colors, the language of form and color, and the responsibilities of the artist. An Introduction by the translator, Michael T. H. Sadler, offers additional explanation of Kandinsky's art and theories, while a new Preface by Richard Stratton discusses Kandinsky's career as a whole and the impact of the book. Making the book even more valuable are nine woodcuts by Kandinsky himself that appear at the chapter headings.
This English translation of Über das Geistige in der Kunst was a significant contribution to the understanding of nonobjectivism in art. It continues to be a stimulating and necessary reading experience for every artist, art student, and art patron concerned with the direction of 20th-century painting.

Edition details

• Publisher: Dover Publications
• Publication date: 1977
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0486234118
• ISBN 13: 9780486234113
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 96