Not as famous as Winter Landscape, executed in the same technique a year later, this work clearly shows the influence of Fauvism on Kandinsky; at the same time, it reveals his tireless quest for his own artistic language. The brushstrokes are confident and broad, the color palette bold, and the space is rendered schematically. The pinkish and yellowish snow sparkles in the rays of the setting sun, and the shadows turn deep blue. The composition is intentionally quite simple so as not to distract the viewer from the main idea.

The summer of 1908, which he spent in Murnau with Gabriele Münter, became a turning point for Kandinsky. The breathtaking beauty of these places, far removed from the bustle of city life, inspired Kandinsky to start looking for new directions in art. While continuing to closely monitor the achievements of the Fauvists, Kandinsky worked diligently and consistently (as was his habit) on his experiments, which bore fruit in less than a year.

*The sketch was sold on May 8, 2018, at Christie's in New York for $6.5 million.

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