Vignette next to "Hills" (Vignette bei "Hügel") (headpiece, folio 5) from Klänge (Sounds)

Vignette next to "Hills" (Vignette bei "Hügel") (headpiece, folio 5) from Klänge (Sounds) is a powerful woodcut created by Vasily Kandinsky in 1913. This specific print serves as a headpiece within the artist's seminal illustrated book, which features fifty-six abstract woodcuts accompanying Kandinsky's own experimental, poetic prose. The publication of Klänge, released during a period of intense innovation, was a pivotal moment in the development of Expressionism and non-objective art.

The medium of the woodcut allowed Kandinsky to explore stark, uncompromising contrasts and dynamic compositions, reflecting the energetic tension of the 1913 period. Though Russian, Kandinsky was deeply integrated into the European avant-garde and published this significant illustrated book within a French cultural context, influencing many contemporary artists with his unique synthesis of text and image. Kandinsky viewed each woodcut not simply as an illustration, but as an autonomous abstract image that complemented the rhythmic and spiritual structure of the overall book. The composition itself, titled in relation to "Hills," utilizes jagged, simplified forms characteristic of his radical shift toward pure abstraction during this decade.

Unlike earlier figurative works, this vignette focuses entirely on the potential of line and form to convey inner spiritual states. The sharp, geometric and organic elements interact violently yet harmoniously, reflecting the notion of "sound," or Klänge, where colors and forms were intended to evoke powerful musical sensations. Kandinsky was striving for a convergence of senses, treating the visual work as a score. As an early example of modern abstraction, this piece stands as a testament to the artist’s commitment to transcending conventional representation. Classified as an illustrated book print, this influential work is preserved today in the permanent collection of the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA).