Tate Modern| Past Exhibitions | Kandinsky: The Path to Abstraction

While the figures in these paintings are still recognisable, Kandinsky reduces them to a few urgent lines and small areas of colour.

Cossacks (1910-11), which relates to some of the sketches in the previous room, was acquired by Tate in 1938, prompting Kandinsky to write ‘It is the first truly modern painting in the famous museum in London.’ While it contains ‘traces’ of representation, he noted, the overall effect is like an abstract painting. These traces include the three soldiers with orange hats in the bottom right-hand corner and, dominating the upper left side, two rearing horses whose riders swing mauve sabres against each other.

Nude (1911), is a rarity: Kandinsky seldom depicted the single figure as the main subject of a painting, and it was even more unusual for him to paint nudes. Almost certainly a picture of his partner, Gabriele Münter, the image, with its spare depiction of the female form, may also be intended to evoke a broader vision of the feminine muse.

Room 5

Wassily Kandinsky
Cossacks
Cosaques 1910–1911
Oil on canvas 946 x 1302 mm
frame: 1118 x 1477 x 74 mm
Presented by Mrs Hazel McKinley 1938

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Wassily Kandinsky
Lyrically 1911
oil on canvas 940 x 1300 mm
Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen

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Wassily Kandinsky
Improvisation 20 1911
oil on canvas 945 x 1080 mm
The State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow

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Wassily Kandinsky
Nude 1911
oil on canvas 1473 x 990 mm
Private Collection

Wassily Kandinsky
The Last Judgement 1913
oil on canvas 1265 x 730 mm
Private Collection, courtesy Helly Nahmad

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Wassily Kandinsky
Improvisation 19 A 1911
oil and gouache on canvas 972 x 1064 mm
Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich


	About Visiting Information Book Tickets Events & Education Room Guide Shop Teachers' Pack Further Resources Room 5 Room plan Room 1 Room 2 Room 3 Room 4 Room 5 Room 6 Room 7 Room 8 Room 9 While the figures in these paintings are still recognisable, Kandinsky reduces them to a few urgent lines and small areas of colour. Cossacks (1910-11), which relates to some of the sketches in the previous room, was acquired by Tate in 1938, prompting Kandinsky to write ‘It is the first truly modern painting in the famous museum in London.’ While it contains ‘traces’ of representation, he noted, the overall effect is like an abstract painting. These traces include the three soldiers with orange hats in the bottom right-hand corner and, dominating the upper left side, two rearing horses whose riders swing mauve sabres against each other. Nude (1911), is a rarity: Kandinsky seldom depicted the single figure as the main subject of a painting, and it was even more unusual for him to paint nudes. Almost certainly a picture of his partner, Gabriele Münter, the image, with its spare depiction of the female form, may also be intended to evoke a broader vision of the feminine muse. Room 5 Wassily Kandinsky Cossacks Cosaques 1910–1911 Oil on canvas 946 x 1302 mm frame: 1118 x 1477 x 74 mm Presented by Mrs Hazel McKinley 1938 enlarge Wassily Kandinsky Lyrically 1911 oil on canvas 940 x 1300 mm Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen enlarge Wassily Kandinsky Improvisation 20 1911 oil on canvas 945 x 1080 mm The State Pushkin Museum of Fine Arts, Moscow enlarge Wassily Kandinsky Nude 1911 oil on canvas 1473 x 990 mm Private Collection Wassily Kandinsky The Last Judgement 1913 oil on canvas 1265 x 730 mm Private Collection, courtesy Helly Nahmad image missing Wassily Kandinsky Improvisation 19 A 1911 oil and gouache on canvas 972 x 1064 mm Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich next room back to top