Among the large series of watercolors painted by the artist in 1922–1923, this work is listed at number 85. They are all quite similar in style: closed forms filled with color and intersecting straight lines, as if floating in the space of the canvas. Circles and triangles dominate — they are, in the artist's opinion, two primary and most contrasting figures.

This geometric abstraction of the Bauhaus period perfectly demonstrates the artist's well-recognized hand, which reached its peak of expressiveness in Composition VIII. The influence of Russian Constructivism from the revolutionary years and the laconic aesthetics of the Bauhaus, where Kandinsky was just beginning to teach at the time, laid the foundation for his further development in abstract art.

Charles Collett: I recently saw this marvellous painting in Madrid and was knocked out by it. I really liked its geometric form and the colours. It also reminded me of a ship leaning at low tide. Would like to have it in my collection!

Timeline

1896 1897 1898 1899 1900 1901 1902 1903 1904 1905 1906 1907 1908 1909 1910 1911 1912 1913 1914 1915 1916 1917 1918 1919 1920 1921 1922 1923 1924 1925 1926 1927 1928 1929 1930 1931 1932 1933 1934 1935 1936 1937 1938 1939 1940 1941 1942 1943 1944