The Archer (Bogenschütze) (plate facing page 14) from Onze Peintres (Eleven Painters): Taeuber, Kandinsky, Leuppi, Vordemberge, Arp, Delaunay, Schwitters, Kiesler, Morris, Magnelli, Ernst

The Archer (Bogenschütze) (plate facing page 14) from Onze Peintres (Eleven Painters): Taeuber, Kandinsky, Leuppi, Vordemberge, Arp, Delaunay, Schwitters, Kiesler, Morris, Magnelli, Ernst is a significant early woodcut by Vasily Kandinsky. Created during the crucial years of 1908–09, the piece is one of four woodcuts contributed by the artist to this important illustrated book, which documents a broad cross-section of leading figures in European modernism. Although executed just before Kandinsky’s complete transition to non-objective abstraction, this print demonstrates the intense formal experimentation that characterized his output during the period immediately preceding the formation of the Der Blaue Reiter group.

The medium of the woodcut naturally lends itself to the dynamic energy captured in the depiction of the archer. Kandinsky utilized the stark contrasts and rough edges inherent to the technique, generating powerful visual tension through simplified forms and emphatic lines. This emphasis on bold, graphic design was vital to the artist’s early explorations into subjective, spiritual expression through visual art. The decision to use prints allowed Kandinsky to rapidly disseminate his evolving visual theories, moving away from purely representative subject matter towards a language concerned with internal necessity.

Though created in 1908–09, the book itself, reflecting the collaborative spirit of the French avant-garde, was eventually published decades later in 1949. This publication placed Kandinsky’s early graphic work into a post-war context, emphasizing the lasting influence of these pioneering artists. As an essential item classified within the illustrated book genre, this work underscores the importance of artist-led publications in the history of 20th-century abstraction. The Archer (Bogenschütze) is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art, recognizing its value as both a key example of Kandinsky’s printmaking and a historical document of major collaborations among modernists.