The Church (L'Église) from Xylographs (Xylographies)

The work The Church (L'Église) from Xylographs (Xylographies) by Vasily Kandinsky is an important early example of the artist’s engagement with graphic arts, conceived in 1907 and officially published two years later, in 1909. This piece is one of eight heliogravures included in the landmark portfolio Xylographies, all derived directly from Kandinsky's original woodcuts. The production technique involves a photographic engraving process that translates the bold, high-contrast character of the woodcut into a finely detailed print, allowing for wider dissemination of these expressive early prints.

Kandinsky created the foundational woodcuts while residing in Germany, but the subsequent portfolio, Xylographies, was published in Paris. The classification of this edition as French highlights the European cross-currents influencing the artist’s career during this pivotal 1907-1909 period. The stylized, almost monumental depiction of the church structure showcases Kandinsky’s commitment to expressive line and simplified form, rooted in the Symbolist and Jugendstil movements, but already exhibiting the visual tension that would soon propel him toward pure abstraction.

The utilization of the woodcut technique in the source material enabled Kandinsky to emphasize powerful contrast and stark compositional arrangements, qualities faithfully retained in the final heliogravure. The early date of 1907, published 1909, places this particular composition at the crucial transition point in Kandinsky’s journey, moving from representational subject matter toward non-objective art. This impression of the pioneering French-published series is held in the collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA). As a historic example of modern graphic art, reproductions of Kandinsky’s initial efforts often enter the public domain, ensuring broad access to his foundational contributions to the art of the 20th century.