Wassily Kandinsky (December 16, 1866 – December 13, 1944)

                                                                                

Der Blaue Reiter

1903

Kandinsky, three of whose paintings hang perennially on the right side of the blog, is, arguably, the most important artist of the 20th century. There are a number of reasons why: he was a strong participant in two important Expressionist movements: Der Blaue Reiter, as a founder (see the namesake of the movement above) and the Bauhaus School, as a teacher; and he is  credited with producing the first abstract work in the art world (the term, Abstract Expressionism, was coined in reference to Kandinsky). And all of this commentary does not even begin to cover the amount of changes Kandinsky underwent within each style, always with an amazing sense of color and composition. 

Composition VII

1913

The painting above, Composition VII, is considered Kandinsky's magnum opus; he said that he put the most work of any of his paintings into that piece.

Couple Riding

1906

Glass Painting with the Sun

1910