Roses (Rozy) from Verses Without Words (Stichi bez slov)

Roses (Rozy) from Verses Without Words (Stichi bez slov) by Vasily Kandinsky is a delicate example of early graphic design from the renowned pioneer of abstraction. Created in 1903, this piece is a woodcut, a medium Kandinsky often utilized during his transitional phase, blending influences from Jugendstil and Russian folk art. The print forms part of an expansive portfolio titled Verses Without Words, which was published as a set of twelve main woodcuts, a supplementary plate, a title page, a table of contents, and a colophon, all executed using the demanding woodcut technique.

The work's classification as a print emphasizes Kandinsky's experimental approach to form and narrative at the turn of the century. Although the artist was based primarily in Munich during this period, the portfolio's aesthetic sensibility reflects the broader cultural movements sweeping across Europe, including the fin de siècle atmosphere often associated with French artistic production and publications of the era. The depiction of roses, a traditional motif, is rendered with bold outlines and flattened planes, characteristic of graphic arts produced around 1903. This early period of Kandinsky's career precedes his move toward purely non-objective painting, but already shows his interest in symbolic representation and the expressive potential of line.

This specific impression of Roses (Rozy) is significant as a document of Kandinsky's development. Before his theoretical writings on spirituality in art, he explored how pure form could convey emotional resonance, a concept clearly previewed in this portfolio of Verses Without Words. The survival of the complete portfolio allows scholars to trace his evolution from illustrative work to revolutionary abstraction. Today, this important example of graphic work from 1903 resides in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art, ensuring its accessibility for future study of modern prints and the cultural history of the early twentieth century.