The Birch Trees (Les Bouleaux) from Xylographs (Xylographies)

The Birch Trees (Les Bouleaux) from Xylographs (Xylographies) by Vasily Kandinsky is a crucial early graphic work, created in 1907 and formally published two years later in 1909. Classified as a print, this piece is one of eight compositions constituting the landmark portfolio Xylographs (Xylographies). Technically, the image presented here is a heliogravure, a sophisticated photographic reproduction derived directly from Kandinsky’s original woodcut design. This medium allowed for the wider circulation of the stark, powerful contrasts inherent in the woodcut technique.

This period marks a pivotal transition for Kandinsky, who was actively developing the pictorial language that would soon lead to total abstraction. Although a Russian artist, the portfolio reflects the experimental milieu of early 20th-century European graphic arts. The French association of these prints points to the cosmopolitan publishing context crucial to disseminating emerging modernist techniques across the continent. The Birch Trees (Les Bouleaux) demonstrates Kandinsky refining the dense, bold line work typical of the original woodcut medium. The subject matter is highly stylized: the trees are reduced to simplified, graphic forms, pushing representation toward a defined geometric and emotional structure, thereby foreshadowing his Expressionist tendencies.

Kandinsky’s early efforts in printmaking were fundamental to the development of his later, more famous theoretical writings on color and spirituality in art. The portfolio showcased his commitment to graphic experimentation just before his involvement with the New Artists’ Association of Munich (NKVM). This specific impression, a key example of the work Kandinsky produced in 1907, published 1909, is held in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), recognizing its deep significance to the history of modern art prints. Although the original prints are carefully preserved, the general availability of such early works often includes public domain reproductions, allowing wider access to the foundation of the artist’s oeuvre.