Reclining Female Nude (Liegender weiblicher Akt) (headpiece, page 101) from Über das Geistige in der Kunst (Concerning the Spiritual in Art)

Reclining Female Nude (Liegender weiblicher Akt) (headpiece, page 101) from Über das Geistige in der Kunst (Concerning the Spiritual in Art) is an illustrative work by Vasily Kandinsky, dating from 1911. This image is classified as a woodcut print, serving as a small headpiece on page 101 of Kandinsky's seminal theoretical text, which outlined the principles and necessity of abstract art. The dual nature of the artifact-functioning both as a written manifesto and an illustrated book featuring eleven original woodcuts-underscores the artist’s belief in the total synthesis of spiritual theory and visual practice.

The woodcut technique, with its inherent tendency toward bold, high-contrast lines, perfectly complements the emerging Expressionist style of the period. Though the image depicts a traditional subject, the reclining female nude (Liegender weiblicher Akt), Kandinsky’s execution pushes the figural elements toward essentialized, angular shapes. This method avoids naturalistic detail in favor of dynamic contour and sharp differentiation between black form and white ground, illustrating the transition from representational art toward pure abstraction that defined his career.

Produced during a crucial moment in Modernism, 1911, the publication of Über das Geistige in der Kunst was pivotal. While Kandinsky was working primarily in Germany, the book's rapid translation and international influence connected this artistic output with major art centers, including those of French culture, quickly impacting global avant-garde circles. The inclusion of original prints not only decorated the text but provided concrete visual examples of the theoretical concepts discussed. This historical illustrated book and the prints it contains offer crucial insight into the development of non-objective art and reside in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art.