Klänge

Klänge is a seminal artist's book created by Vasily Kandinsky (French, born Russia, 1866-1944) and published in 1913 by R. Piper & Co. This volume encapsulates the pivotal moment when Kandinsky was transitioning into pure abstraction, marking a key early example of Expressionist book design. The entire work is classified as a print portfolio bound as a book, containing a total of fifty-six woodcuts printed on high-quality cream laid paper. Forty-four of the cuts are rendered in stark black, contrasting dramatically with twelve innovative color woodcuts, which showcase the artist’s groundbreaking approach to visual rhythm and color theory during this crucial pre-war period.

Published just before the outbreak of World War I, Klänge reflects Kandinsky's deep interest in synesthesia, where sound (the literal meaning of the title) and color intersect visually. As a pivotal figure in the development of non-representational art, Kandinsky utilized the dynamic, expressive possibilities inherent in the woodcut technique to explore purely abstract forms. The dramatic, graphic quality of these prints emphasizes movement and internal necessity, principles Kandinsky articulated in his accompanying theoretical writings. While originally published in Germany, this key work is associated with the burgeoning avant-garde culture emanating from France and Central Europe at the time. Today, this essential collection of influential prints, considered a cornerstone of early modernism, is housed in the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. As the piece is over a century old, high-resolution images of the individual prints often reside within the public domain for scholarly research.