Composition VII (1913)  by Wassily Kandinsky

Composition VII

1913

Oil on canvas

78.7 × 118.1" (200.0 × 300.0 cm)

Moscow, The State Tretyakov Gallery

Kandinsky’s Composition VII is justly considered to be the apex of his artwork before the First Word War. More than 30 sketches made in watercolors and oil paints precede this painting, and they can serve as “documentary” proof of this work creation. Surprisingly that after the painter had finished his long preliminary work, the composition itself was created for 4 days only. This can be proved by photographs taken between the 25th and the 28th of November 1913. The main theme, which is an oval form intersected by an irregular rectangle, is perceived like the center surrounded by the vortex of colors and forms. By means of records and some works examination art historians defined that the Composition VII is a combination of several themes namely Resurrection, the Judgment Day, the Flood and the Garden of Eden. Such combination is expressed as a symbiosis of pure painting.

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26 comments

09 January 2024
Jojo: When MOMA gathered the surviving Compositions in 1995 I used to getting seriously stoned and gaze at this for literally hours. It is now somehow a part of me...
31 August 2023
Asim Musa: This reminds me of a feeling I had once.
10 December 2022
Jack : My philosophy professor once told me Kandinsky's WAR made him physically ill everytime he looked at it. That was many years ago. I thought he was dramatizing, now I understand.
17 October 2022
Angel: what is that
27 September 2022
:3 CAT!: This is a great work of art and it shows a lot of creativity :D
10 December 2020
Quamnk: Wow, absolutely beautiful. To people who say a child could do this, a child would never be able to express his thoughts as clearly on a canvas like this.
10 November 2020
mnm: i see the art the real one its in art that used formal geometric styles
30 October 2020
poppy cate turner: its amaking how a few strokes on oil paint can be such a beauty
19 September 2020
Khooki: It's chaotic, but everything seems to fit!
05 September 2020
Bradford McCormick: "Composition VII is a combination of several themes namely Resurrection, the Judgment Day, the Flood and the Garden of Eden. Such combination is expressed as a symbiosis of pure painting" -- I would love for WK to paint Donald Trump's 2020 USA. Then there would be a bit of beauty to relieve it all in our spirits, so much making 2019 USA look like 1913 Europe.
15 May 2020
Ulya from Vologda: This one reminds me of how complexed human mind is and how much we can have inside it. Kandinsky was a genius and he's my favorite.
27 November 2019
Kandinsky Fan: I love how Kandinsky painted. His paintings illumined my desire to paint. I want to express how greatly Kandinsky influenced me to be the person I am today. Great thanks to Sir Wassily Kandinsky.
16 November 2019
jeff: This painting is amazing.The colours make me feel very calm
12 April 2019
Bean: This painting is amazing. The act that he did so many sketches beforehand amazes me. I don't have the patience to do such a thing!
03 April 2019
avocado: This piece of artwork is amazing. It really represents the thoughts of Kandinsky. the abstract colors are so messy, yet so clean, and in order. this isn't just simply a painting. there is a message from within.
01 March 2019
:): This is awesome! We are learning Wassily Kandinsky and I think this piece of work is amazingly messy but very perfect and sorted!
16 November 2018
???: incredible work
19 August 2018
Arlind: It's like a blistering coctail made of erratic thoughts, I guess. But beautiful! .
27 June 2018
japhet zayas: I've always been interested in the lives of artists in different fields of endeavor. Kandinsky's life and work are of particular interest to me. I recall reading that Kandinsky was synesthetic. If so, he painted the colors he heard. He felt colors on a distinctly novel level. I read a description of his perception of the colorful roofs of Kremlin edifices and his words reflect seeing sounds. Just the same his abstract and surrealistic works are testaments to his unique talents.
07 March 2018
Kate: its absolutely amazing;)
12 August 2017
Greg: I wonder if artist such as Shawn Thornton are inspired by this type of art and specifically this artist.
14 July 2017
Jordi: The solar plexus of space-time. Russia was born to suffer, therefore exist.
16 May 2017
Gianni: Who owns this painting know and did anyone else have to write an essay on this? Because I did!
10 May 2016
tangzhangli from china: good
10 June 2015
Ernest J. Smith: Who owned this painting after Kandinsky died, and how did this painting end up at the Tretyakov Gallery, Moscow?
02 June 2010
gaia from udine: chi mi aiuta a fare la lettura dell' opera del quadro di vasilij kandinskij ''Composition VII''??

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