Concerning the Spiritual���and the Concrete���in Kandinsky���s Art

This book examines the art and writings of Wassily Kandinsky, who is widely regarded as one of the first artists to produce non-representational paintings. Crucial to an understanding of Kandinsky's intentions is __On the Spiritual in Art__, the celebrated essay he published in 1911. Where most scholars have taken its repeated references to "spirit" as signaling quasi-religious or mystical concerns, Florman argues instead that Kandinsky's primary frame of reference was G.W.F. Hegel's __Aesthetics__, in which art had similarly been presented as a vehicle for the developing self-consciousness of spirit (or __Geist__, in German). In addition to close readings of Kandinsky's writings, the book also includes a discussion of a 1936 essay on the artist's paintings written by his own nephew, philosopher Alexandre Kojève, the foremost Hegel scholar in France at that time. It also provides detailed analyses of individual paintings by Kandinsky, demonstrating how the development of his oeuvre challenges Hegel's views on modern art, yet operates in much the same manner as does Hegel's philosophical system. Through the work of a single, crucial artist, Florman presents a radical new account of why painting turned to abstraction in the early years of the twentieth century. This book examines the art and writings of Wassily Kandinsky, who is widely regarded as one of the first artists to produce non-representational paintings. Crucial to an understanding of Kandinsky's intentions is On the Spiritual in Art, the celebrated essay he published in 1911. Where most scholars have taken its repeated references to "spirit" as signaling quasi-religious or mystical concerns, Lisa Florman argues instead that Kandinsky's primary frame of reference was G.W.F. Hegel's Aesthetics, in which art had similarly been presented as a vehicle for the developing self-consciousness of spirit (or Geist). In addition to close readings of Kandinsky's writings, the book includes a discussion of a 1936 essay on the artist's paintings written by his nephew, philosopher Alexandre Kojève, the foremost Hegel scholar in France at that time. It also provides detailed analyses of individual paintings by Kandinsky, demonstrating how the development of his oeuvre challenges Hegel's views on modern art yet operates in much the same manner as does Hegel's philosophical system. Through the work of a single, crucial artist, Florman presents a radical new account of why painting turned to abstraction in the early years of the twentieth century. Book jacket Contents 8 Illustrations 10 Acknowledgments 16 Introduction 22 Part I - Painting in Theory 24 First Moment 26 Hegel’s Aesthetics 26 Second Moment 33 Part 1: Kandinsky’s Über das Geistige in der Kunst 33 Part 2: Kandinsky’s Punkt und Linie zu Fläche and Related Essays 54 Third Moment 90 Kojève’s “Les Peintures concrètes de Kandinsky” 90 Part II - Painting in Practice 114 The Development of Kandinsky's Oeuvre 116 Conclusion 188 Appendix: Alexandre Kojeve, “The Concrete Paintings of Kandinsky" 194 Abbreviations Used in the Notes 220 Notes 222 Index 276 A radical reassessment of the art and writings of Wassily Kandinsky, this book contests the traditional understanding that he was motivated by mystical concerns and sees his work instead as an extended philosophical "conversation" on the nature of art with German philosopher Hegel, and the Kandinsky's own nephew, philosopher and Hegel scholar, Alexandre Kojeve. pt. I PAINTING IN THEORY -- First Moment -- Hegel's Aesthetics -- Second Moment -- -- pt. 1 Kandinsky's Uber das Geistige in der Kunst -- -- pt. 2 Kandinsky's Punkt und Linie zu Flache and Related Essays -- Third Moment -- Kojeve's "Les Peintures concretes de Kandinsky" -- -- pt. II PAINTING IN PRACTICE -- The Development Of Kandinsky's Oeuvre. Lisa Florman. Contains An English Translation Of Les Peintures Concrètes De Kandinsky By Alexandre Kojève. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. Text In English.