(after) Wassily Kandinsky Art

Kandinsky's style of art varied over the course of his life. He embraced styles such as Surrealism and Fauvism. In addition, he was a leading figure in bringing together Der Blaue Reiter, a group of avant-garde artists in Munich that included Paul Klee and Franz Marc. Kandinsky and other members explored spiritual concepts through their art as a response to the materialism of the time. On 1stDibs, explore an assortment of Wassily Kandinsky art.

The Wassily Chair, referenced as Model B3 chair, was designed at Bauhaus in 1925 by Marcel Breuer and produced by Knoll. The name Wassily was not given to the chair until decades later when it was re-released. Shop a collection of Bauhaus furniture, including Wassily Chairs, from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.

The significance of the Wassily chair is that it was a landmark in furniture design. When it debuted in 1925, the chair proved that it was possible for everyday objects like furniture to be created with the principles of modern design. Marcel Breuer designed the chair with inspiration from bicycle construction and assembled the tubular steel frame using techniques employed by plumbers. On 1stDibs, shop a variety of Wassily chairs.

No one knows for sure how many paintings Kandinsky painted over the course of his life. Art historians estimate that he produced at least 500 oil paintings. However, there may be considerably more works that are forever lost. Because the Nazis labeled Kandinsky a degenerate, it is possible that a great number of his pieces were destroyed during the 1930s and ’40s. On 1stDibs, explore a range of Wassily Kandinsky art.

One way to spot an original Wassily chair is to look at the tubular steel frame. There will be no weld in the corners. The frame of an authentic Wassily chair is a single continuous piece of chromed tubular steel, with no cap on the end. Each original Wassily chair should feel lightweight but robust. It's a well-made chair and will feel like one. The material used for the seat and backrest, which was initially durable canvas — Knoll's Wassily chairs are available with leather slings — should feel equally substantial even if it's a vintage model. Lastly, the price of a real Wassily chair will also reflect the fact that this is a collectible design.

Inspired by bicycle handlebars, the Wassily lounge chair is one of Marcel Breuer's (1902–81) greatest achievements. Even though the tubular metal chair looked like an artifact from the future when the Hungarian-American designer and architect conceived it in 1925, Breuer could not have foreseen the significant impact that this would have on modern design.

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Kandinsky was called the Father of Abstract Art because he was part of a crucial moment in art history. He was influenced by styles ranging from Surrealism to Fauvism and was a leading figure in bringing together Der Blaue Reiter, a group of avant-garde artists in Munich who explored spiritual concepts through their art as a response to the materialism of the time. Wassily Kandinsky also led courses on analytical drawing and color at the Bauhaus after being appointed by founder and architect Walter Gropius to teach in Weimar in 1922. He taught at all three of the legendary school’s locations and remained with the institution until its forced closure by the Nazis in 1933. Through his work, Kandinsky pushed modern art closer to total abstraction and inspired artists like Willem de Kooning and Joan Mitchell. Explore a range of Wassily Kandinsky art on 1stDibs.

Yes, Wassily chairs are indeed considered mid-century modern. Although the chair was initially designed by Marcel Breuer in 1925, it was re-released in the 1960s. Shop a collection of mid-century modern goods from some of the world’s top sellers on 1stDibs.