Improvisation 7 (plate, folio 37) from Klänge (Sounds)

Improvisation 7 (plate, folio 37) from Klänge (Sounds) by Vasily Kandinsky is a pivotal work of graphic art created in 1913. This specific plate is a woodcut, derived from an illustrated book that contained fifty-six distinct woodcuts. Kandinsky was then fully engaged in the pursuit of pure abstraction, utilizing concepts derived from music-like 'improvisation'-to title his revolutionary compositions.

The medium of the woodcut allowed Kandinsky to embrace the stark contrasts and dynamic, angular forms characteristic of early Modernist prints. The series, Klänge (Sounds), served as an experimental vehicle wherein the artist paired his poetry with abstract visual compositions. Unlike his contemporary oil paintings, the compositions in this illustrated book utilized the dense, unforgiving materiality of the woodcut block to create a powerful, immediate impression. In Improvisation 7, Kandinsky moves beyond representative imagery, crafting a visual language based solely on line, shape, and inherent expressive quality, challenging traditional pictorial conventions.

Though a Russian artist, Kandinsky was deeply influential across Europe, particularly within German and French artistic circles around 1913. The classification of this piece as 'French' highlights the pivotal role Paris played in the dissemination and promotion of his radical abstract vision during this crucial period. As an illustrated book, Klänge is recognized as a masterwork of Expressionist printmaking, demonstrating the artist’s commitment to forging an entirely new visual lexicon unbound by subject matter. This historically significant work is part of the extensive collection of the Museum of Modern Art, preserving the revolutionary output of the artist at the height of his creative transition.