All Saints' Day (Allerheiligen) (plate, folio 46) from Klänge (Sounds) by Vasily Kandinsky is a crucial woodcut created in 1913. This striking example of early abstraction belongs to the limited-edition illustrated book Klänge (Sounds), which was published in Munich that year. Kandinsky utilized the format of the illustrated book to integrate visual art and poetic text, creating a synthesis known as the Gesamtkunstwerk. The All Saints' Day plate, like the fifty-five other woodcuts in the collection, moves away from representative forms, relying instead on dynamic lines and stark contrasts inherent in the medium to evoke spiritual or emotional states, rather than literal depiction.
The choice of the woodcut medium was highly significant; its directness and primitive aesthetic appealed strongly to Expressionists and was central to Kandinsky’s formal explorations. Produced during a pivotal year in modern art (1913), this piece marks a definitive point in his trajectory toward pure non-objective art. Although Kandinsky was working primarily in Germany during this period, his international influence was growing, and works like this reflect a broader European cultural milieu, including contemporary artistic movements emerging in French centers. The reliance on deep blacks against large areas of white space achieves a powerful, rhythmic composition that demonstrates Kandinsky’s mastery of graphic technique.
As an integral component of an illustrated book, this work highlights Kandinsky’s commitment to making prints and multiples central to his artistic practice. The relative accessibility offered by prints contrasted with unique paintings, allowing for wider dissemination of his revolutionary abstract theories across Europe. Held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), the complete edition of Klänge remains a foundational document in the history of 20th-century modernism. Many of these seminal prints have since entered the public domain, ensuring their continued study and influence worldwide.
Important: ArtBee makes no warranties about the copyright status of this artwork. To the best of our knowledge, based on information from the source museum, we believe this work is in the public domain.
You are responsible for determining the rights status and securing any permissions needed for your use. Copyright status may vary by jurisdiction. See our License & Usage page and Terms of Service for details.