Vignette next to "Exit" (Vignette bei "Ausgang") (headpiece, folio 36) from Klänge (Sounds)

Vignette next to "Exit" (Vignette bei "Ausgang") (headpiece, folio 36) from Klänge (Sounds) by Vasily Kandinsky is a fundamental work demonstrating the artist’s mastery of the graphic arts during his critical transition toward pure abstraction. Executed in 1913, this print is one of fifty-six distinctive woodcuts that form the illustrations for Kandinsky's pivotal artist's book, Klänge (Sounds), which integrated his abstract visual poems with corresponding imagery.

The medium of the woodcut proved ideal for Kandinsky’s evolving non-objective style, allowing him to employ forceful, angular lines and intense black-and-white contrasts to evoke internal, spiritual narratives. While the composition is highly abstract, the title, Vignette next to "Exit," suggests a specific structural function, likely serving as a visual break or headpiece accompanying a section of text referencing departure or conclusion on folio 36 of the published volume.

The year 1913 marks a peak moment in early modernism, and Kandinsky’s use of abstraction in the printed format significantly propelled the development of the illustrated book as a genre. Though Klänge was published in Munich, the work’s cultural resonance quickly spread throughout French and European avant-garde circles, cementing the artist’s influence on subsequent generations of printmakers. The dynamic visual language seen in this piece reflects the turbulent, pre-war intensity of the period.

This historic woodcut confirms Kandinsky’s importance not merely as a painter but as a profound printmaker committed to exploring the visual equivalence of spiritual and musical concepts. This significant example of the artist's illustrative work is part of the extensive collection of the Museum of Modern Art.