Small Worlds III (Kleine Welten III) from Small Worlds (Kleine Welten)

Small Worlds III (Kleine Welten III) from Small Worlds (Kleine Welten) is a pivotal lithograph created by Vasily Kandinsky in 1922. This abstract print is one of twelve pieces comprising the landmark portfolio Kleine Welten, which showcased Kandinsky's versatile mastery of graphic media. The full suite incorporated a diverse range of printmaking techniques, including six lithographs, four drypoints, and two woodcuts, making the collection a vital summary of his experiments in abstract form.

Executed in 1922, the Small Worlds portfolio captures Kandinsky's artistic trajectory following his return to Germany and his influential acceptance of a teaching position at the Bauhaus. This period saw the artist transition from the expressive, fluid abstraction of his pre-war years toward a greater emphasis on rigorous geometry and structural composition. The specific medium of this piece, lithography, allowed Kandinsky to achieve subtle tonal shifts and sharp delineation in line, contrasting complex, intersecting geometric and biomorphic shapes. The dynamic tension achieved through overlapping forms and implied spatial depth characterizes the advanced style Kandinsky was developing during his early Bauhaus years.

Although the cultural designation for this work is French, signifying the broad international influence and market for Kandinsky's works at the time, the series was critical in defining the early 1920s modernist print movement. The work reflects Kandinsky's sustained pursuit of non-objective art and his belief in the spiritual necessity of pure abstraction. As a key example of graphic works from the 1922 period, the print is preserved today in the esteemed collection of the Museum of Modern Art, New York, where it contributes to a significant holding of the master’s prints.