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Wassily Kandinsky Quotes

Artist

Wassily Kandinsky, born on December 16, 1866, and died on December 13, 1944, was a prominent artist from Russia. He is considered one of the pioneers of abstract art and his works have had a profound impact on 20th-century art.

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Famous Wassily Kandinsky Quotes

“Color directly influences the soul. Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the hammers, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand that plays, touching one key or another purposively, to cause vibrations in the soul.”

Soul Artist Music Color Aesthetics

Book:Concerning the spiritual in art

Source: Concerning the spiritual in art

“Doubts must be resolved alone within the soul. Otherwise one would profane one's own powerful solution.”

Soul Powerful Doubt Solutions Profane

Author:Wassily Kandinsky

“Only just now awakening after years of materialism, our soul is still infected with the despair born of unbelief, of lack of purpose and aim.”

Years Stills Soul Purpose Born Despair Aim Awakening Materialism Unbelief

Book:Concerning the Spiritual in Art: And Painting in Particular

Source: Concerning the Spiritual in Art: And Painting in Particular

“Everything shows me its face, its innermost being, its secret soul, which is more often silent than heard.”

Soul Shows Faces Secret Heard Silent Revelations Show Me

Author:Wassily Kandinsky

“In general, therefore, color is a means of exerting a direct influence upon the soul. Color is the keyboard. The eye is the hammer. The soul is the piano with its many strings. The artist is the hand that purposefully sets the soul vibrating by means of this or that key.”

Mean Soul Hands Eye Artist Influence Color Keys Direct Piano Strings Hammers Keyboards

Book:Kandinsky, Complete Writings on Art

Source: Kandinsky, Complete Writings on Art

“Color is the keyboard, the eyes are the harmonies, the soul is the piano with many strings. The artist is the hand that plays, touching one key or another, to cause vibrations in the soul.”

Source: Concerning the spiritual in art, and painting in particular: 1912

“The nightmare of materialism, which has turned the life of the universe into an evil, useless game, is not yet past; it holds the awakening soul still in its grip.”

Stills Soul Past Universe Evil Games Awakening Useless Nightmare Materialism

Book:Concerning the spiritual in art

Source: Concerning the spiritual in art

“The artist must train not only his eye but also his soul.”

Art Soul Eye Artist Train His Eyes Soul Train

Book:Concerning the spiritual in art

Source: Concerning the spiritual in art

“Everything that is dead quivers. Not only the things of poetry, stars, moon, wood, flowers, but even a white trouser button glittering out of a puddle in the street... Everything has a secret soul, which is silent more often than it speaks.”

Soul Speak Stars White Secret Streets Flower Moon Silent Woods Buttons Puddles Quiver

Author:Wassily Kandinsky

“With cold eyes and indifferent mind the spectators regard the work. Connoissers admire the "skill" (as one admires a tightrope walker), enjoy the "quality of painting" (as one enjoys a pasty). But hungry souls go hungry away. The vulgar herd stroll through the rooms and pronounce the pictures "nice" or "splendid." Those who could speak have said nothing, those who could hear have heard nothing.”

Mind Said Soul Eye Speak Enjoy Rooms Quality Nice Heard Painting Cold Skills Regard Hungry Admire Indifferent Vulgar Spectators Splendid Herds Walkers Pasties Cold Eyes

Author:Wassily Kandinsky

“That is beautiful which is produced by the inner need, which springs from the soul.”

Inspirational Needs Soul Motivational Beautiful Spring Crafts

Book:Concerning the spiritual in art

Source: Concerning the spiritual in art

“The artist is the hand that, by touching this or that key, sets the soul vibrating automatically.”

Soul Hands Artist Keys Touching

Author:Wassily Kandinsky

“Color is a means to exert a direct influence on the soul.”

Mean Soul Influence Color Direct

Author:Wassily Kandinsky

“Whether the psychological effect of color is direct...or whether it is the outcome of association, is open to question. The soul being one with the body, it may well be possible that a psychological tremor generates corresponding one through association.”

Wells May Soul Body Effects Color Direct Psychological Outcomes Association Corresponding

Author:Wassily Kandinsky

“Colour is a power which directly influences the soul.”

Soul Science Influence Colour Vibrations

Book:Concerning the spiritual in art

Source: Concerning the spiritual in art

“Generally speaking, color directly influences the soul.”

Soul Influence Color

Book:Concerning the spiritual in art, and painting in particular: 1912

Source: Concerning the spiritual in art, and painting in particular: 1912

“The artist must train not only his eye but also his soul, so that it can weigh colours in its own scale and thus become a determinant in artistic creation.”

Soul Eye Artist Creation Train Scales Artistic His Eyes Colour Artistic Creation

Book:Concerning the Spiritual in Art: And Painting in Particular

Source: Concerning the Spiritual in Art: And Painting in Particular

“Color is the keyboard. The eye is the hammer. The soul is the piano, with its many strings.”

Soul Eye Color Piano Strings Hammers Keyboards

Author:Wassily Kandinsky

“It is essential that the painter should develop not only his eyes, but also his soul, so that it too may be capable of weighing colors in balance.”

Should May Soul Eye Color Balance Essentials Capable Painter His Eyes Weighing

Book:Kandinsky, Complete Writings on Art

Source: Kandinsky, Complete Writings on Art

“Art is not vague production, transitory and isolated, but a power which must be directed to the improvement and refinement of the human soul.”

Humans Art Soul Art Is Productions Improvement Isolated Vague Human Soul Refinement Transitory

Book:Concerning the spiritual in art

Source: Concerning the spiritual in art

“With few exceptions, music has been for some centuries the art which has devoted itself not to the reproduction of natural phenomena, but rather to the expression of the artist's soul, in musical sound.”

Has Beens Art Soul Artist Sound Natural Inspiring Century Expression Musical Exception Devoted Reproduction Creating Art Natural Phenomena

Book:Kandinsky

Source: Kandinsky

About the Author

Born: December 16, 1866
Died: December 13, 1944
Known for: Artist
Quotes: 99

Books & Sources

Concerning the spiritual in artRelated source material

Concerning the Spiritual in Art: And Painting in ParticularRelated source material

Kandinsky, Complete Writings on ArtRelated source material

Concerning the spiritual in art, and painting in particular: 1912Related source material

KandinskyRelated source material

Delphi Collected Works of Wassily Kandinsky (Illustrated)Related source material

Kandinsky Watercolours: Exhibition May 23-June 28, 1970, Art Gallery of OntarioRelated source material

Kandinsky compositionsRelated source material

Kandinsky, Complete Writings on Art: 1922-1943Related source material

Kandinsky, Russia and the Bauhaus, 1912-1932: January 5-Febr Uary 11, 1984Related source material

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