Kandinsky by Ulrike Becks-Malorny

Kandinsky by Ulrike Becks-Malorny is a beautifully illustrated TASCHEN study of Wassily Kandinsky (1866–1944), one of the defining figures in the development of modern abstract art. Written by art historian Ulrike Becks-Malorny, this substantial hardcover volume explores Kandinsky’s remarkable progression from his comparatively conventional early work to the revolutionary use of colour, line and geometric form for which he became internationally celebrated.

Kandinsky played a central role in the emergence of abstraction during the early twentieth century and was closely associated with Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider) movement. His belief that colour and form could communicate independently of recognisable objects profoundly influenced subsequent generations of painters and helped reshape the course of modern art. The book examines this development alongside Kandinsky’s activities as a painter, theorist and teacher, placing his work within the wider cultural and artistic movements of his period.

Lavishly illustrated throughout, this TASCHEN publication allows readers to follow Kandinsky’s stylistic development through reproductions of his paintings and other visual material. The large-format presentation is particularly well suited to his intensely coloured compositions, intricate arrangements of geometric shapes and increasingly abstract visual language.

An excellent addition to a collection of modern art, abstract art, Expressionism, Bauhaus or twentieth-century art books, this volume will appeal equally to art students, collectors, artists and readers discovering Kandinsky’s work for the first time. The striking hardcover and dust-jacket design also make it an attractive coffee-table and reference book.

Condition – Very Good 

Hardcover remains attractive and structurally sound with clean-looking contents; minor shelf/edge wear is visible. Dust jacket shows noticeable handling and shelf wear, including creasing/waviness, rubbing and edge/corner wear, particularly along the upper edges. Overall a presentable used copy with the principal wear concentrated on the jacket.