Gray (Gris) from Art of Today, Masters of Abstract Art (Art d'aujourd'hui, maîtres de l'art abstrait), Album I

Gray (Gris) from Art of Today, Masters of Abstract Art (Art d'aujourd'hui, maîtres de l'art abstrait), Album I by Vasily Kandinsky is one of sixteen screenprint reproductions published in 1953. This portfolio was a significant postwar French undertaking designed to disseminate key compositions by leaders of the abstract movement. The work itself is a reproduction of a composition originally executed by the artist in 1931, bridging the avant-garde aesthetic of the early 1930s with the mid-century appreciation for non-objective art.

The choice of medium-screenprint-underscores the growing importance of prints as a means of democratizing modern art. Kandinsky’s late style, represented by this piece, moved away from the more spontaneous, explosive gestures of his early period, favoring instead highly structured compositions marked by geometric rigor and the integration of biomorphic forms. Although this specific iteration was printed in 1953 (original executed in 1931), it captures the complex formal balance characteristic of Kandinsky's Parisian period. The title Gray (Gris) indicates the artist’s philosophical approach to color, treating even subdued tones as vital, expressive elements within the composition's overall structure, reflecting his theories on the inherent spiritual properties of visual elements.

The 1953 production of the Art d'aujourd'hui portfolio reflects the continued high regard for abstract masters within French culture during the post-war era. Kandinsky’s contributions, despite his death in 1944, remained central to the conversation surrounding modernity. Today, this piece is preserved in the comprehensive collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York. As a highly referenced print, details and reproductions of the work are frequently available, ensuring the legacy and public domain access to this significant contribution to twentieth-century abstraction.