Judgement Day (Jüngster Tag) from Klänge (Sounds)

Judgement Day (Jüngster Tag) from Klänge (Sounds) by Vasily Kandinsky is a potent example of the artist's engagement with the spiritual and emotional power of abstraction during the pivotal year of 1913. This work is a woodcut, a medium Kandinsky favored for its stark expressive capabilities, and was originally produced as one of fifty-six such prints comprising the illustrated book Klänge. This publication was central to the artist's theoretical exploration of synesthesia, where sound and color merge, presenting a visual poetry that transcends traditional narrative structures.

Produced during a period of intense creative output leading up to World War I, this piece reflects the dynamic European avant-garde environment. Although Russian, Kandinsky had significant influence within the French artistic circle, and the subsequent publication of the book was key to disseminating his revolutionary ideas across the continent. The specific technique of the woodcut allows Kandinsky to minimize depth and foreground, focusing instead on jagged black lines and contrasting white space to convey the drama inherent in the subject of ultimate divine reckoning. This highly graphic approach emphasizes form and rhythm over recognizable figuration, capturing the tumultuous internal experience of the Judgement Day theme.

As part of the prestigious collection at the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), this specific print represents Kandinsky’s major contributions to graphic art in the early 20th century. While fully abstract, the composition retains a visceral energy that characterizes the Expressionist movement of the 1913 era. The original publication, classified as an illustrated book, stands today as a masterpiece of book arts, demonstrating the artist’s commitment to unifying text and image. Prints like these provide critical insight into the transition period when Kandinsky fully embraced non-objective abstraction.