Kandinsky [antikvár]

INTRODUCTION When he wrote that form "is subjective content in an objective envelope," Kandinsky himself indicated the approach we should adopt when we look at his painting and attempt to evaluate and understand it. The unity of the two components of a work of art-the painting itself and the emotion that gave birth to it-is stated here. The inward meaning gives life and body to the created object; the spectator who ignores or misinterprets this meaning perceives nothing but the interplay of masses and colours. The full message of Kandinsky's painting is revealed only to one who recognizes the spiritual identity of the form and the initial emotion that inspired it. To convey his intended meaning, each emotion demands its appropriate and exclusive language. Thus Kandinsky's technique is itself in perpetual motion, constantly changing so that it can more precisely follow and represent the movement of his thought and feeling. The close relationship of this technique with the development of Kandinsky's aesthetic and philosophic position is clear to those who realize that his paintings must be looked at not