Motif from Improvisation 25 (Motiv aus Improvisation 25) (plate, folio 16) from Klänge (Sounds)

Motif from Improvisation 25 (Motiv aus Improvisation 25) (plate, folio 16) from Klänge (Sounds) is a crucial graphic work created by Vasily Kandinsky in 1913. This specific plate is a woodcut, a medium the artist favored for its stark, expressive qualities, and it originates from the seminal illustrated book Klänge (Sounds). The complete volume contains fifty-six woodcuts, serving as visual equivalents to Kandinsky's experimental, abstract poetry, functioning as a complete artistic statement that merged visual and auditory sensations.

Dating to the pivotal year (1913), this piece embodies the radical shift toward pure abstraction characteristic of Kandinsky’s output following his intense period with the Blaue Reiter group. The composition uses sharp, defined lines and angular, overlapping forms, translating the impulsive energy of the related oil paintings, known as the "Improvisations," into the reductive language of the print medium. This work emphasizes dynamic rhythm and the spiritual necessity of non-representational art, a core tenet of the artist's theoretical framework articulated in Concerning the Spiritual in Art.

The use of the woodcut technique allowed Kandinsky to produce high-contrast, impactful prints, making his radical abstract concepts widely accessible. Although Kandinsky was primarily associated with German Expressionism during this period, the widespread dissemination of Klänge across Europe, including its appreciation within French cultural circles, cemented his international status as a pioneer of the abstract movement.

Classified officially as an Illustrated Book component, the work demonstrates Kandinsky’s commitment to exploring multiple formats beyond traditional canvas painting, treating the book itself as a unified piece of art. The dense complexity and rhythmic structure evident in this abstract motif reinforce the crucial connection Kandinsky drew between music and visual sensation. This important example of early abstraction and modern prints is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), New York.