Improvisation I (plate, folio 41) from Klänge (Sounds)

Improvisation I (plate, folio 41) from Klänge (Sounds) by Vasily Kandinsky is a seminal example of European non-objective art, executed in 1913. This work is classified as an Illustrated Book, specifically a woodcut print, serving as one of fifty-six original graphic plates the artist contributed to his experimental publication, Klänge (Sounds). Published in Munich, the ambitious project combined Kandinsky’s theoretical writings and poetry with these crucial abstract images, demonstrating his belief in the inherent musicality and spiritual power of pure visual form.

Kandinsky used the demanding woodcut medium extensively during this period, finding its reductive nature and capacity for sharp contrast perfectly suited to articulating his internal visions. The designation "Improvisation" reflects his analogy between visual art and musical composition; the work is intended to be a spontaneous, subconscious expression driven by "inner necessity" rather than external reality. The print features a dynamic arrangement of aggressive, jagged lines and floating, abstracted biomorphic shapes, which emphasize movement and tension across the surface. The stark black and white palette heightens the sense of dramatic energy, utilizing the texture created by the wood grain itself to generate varying tonal effects.

Though Kandinsky, a Russian, was based primarily in Germany at this time, the powerful influence of works created in 1913 resonated deeply with the international avant-garde, affecting the trajectory of Modernism, including movements within French culture. The widespread availability of such prints through the publication ensured their early study and recognition. This piece stands as a critical benchmark in the development of abstraction before World War I, capturing Kandinsky's transition from expressive figuration toward purely non-representational geometry. This historically significant work is a core holding within the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.