Artwork
Houses at Murnau
Houses at Murnau is an oil painting by Wassily Kandinsky. It dates from 1909 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
- Accession no.
- 129849
- Credit line
- Bequest of Katharine Kuh
About this work
Overview
Created in 1909, Houses at Murnel is an oil painting executed on cardboard by the Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky. The work depicts a small settlement with sharply pointed roofs rendered in vivid hues, and a slender church spire rising in the distance. It is part of the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago and exemplifies the artist’s early shift toward expressive color.
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents a cluster of narrow, angular dwellings whose roofs resemble caps, set against a bright sky. The buildings appear to tilt slightly inward, inviting the viewer’s gaze. While the scene is recognizably a village, the exaggerated forms and saturated palette suggest an emotional response to the landscape rather than a literal record.
Technique & Style
Kandinsky applied oil paint in broad, flat areas, allowing the colors to dominate the surface without detailed modeling. The use of cardboard as support contributed to a matte texture, emphasizing the stark outlines of the structures. This approach marks an early departure from naturalistic representation, foreshadowing the artist’s later experiments with abstraction.
History & Provenance
After its completion in Munich, where Kandinsky was studying, the painting entered the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it remains on view. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s early interest in the formative works of artists who would later shape modern art.
Context
At the time of this work, Kandinsky was a student in Munich, having begun formal training at the age of thirty. The piece belongs to a period when he was exploring the psychological impact of color and form, laying groundwork for his subsequent theoretical writings and the development of abstract painting.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Wassily Wassilyevich Kandinsky (16 December 1866 – 13 December 1944) was a Russian painter and art theorist active in Germany during the late Belle Époque and Interwar eras.
