On White II - Wassily Kandinsky

A seminal work of geometric abstraction by Wassily Kandinsky, created during his tenure at the Bauhaus in 1923.

On White II, painted in 1923, belongs to the period when Wassily Kandinsky was teaching at the Bauhaus in Germany. During these years, his work shifted from the fluid, expressive forms of his earlier Munich period toward a more disciplined, geometric vocabulary. This transition reflects his interest in the relationship between specific shapes and their psychological effects on the viewer.

The composition is anchored by a white background, which serves as a neutral field for the interaction of various geometric elements. Black lines, circles, triangles, and checkerboard patterns float across the surface. These forms do not represent physical objects but exist as autonomous entities. The black, jagged shape cutting diagonally across the centre provides a sense of tension, contrasting with the lighter, more playful motifs scattered throughout the frame. Kandinsky utilised this precise arrangement to explore the balance between order and chaos.

Kandinsky believed that colour and form possessed their own internal logic. In this work, the use of primary colours alongside black and white creates a rhythmic visual experience. The painting demonstrates his analytical approach to art, where the canvas functions as a space for testing the properties of geometry. By stripping away representational subject matter, he focused on the fundamental components of visual language. The resulting image is a study in spatial dynamics, where every element occupies a specific position to maintain the equilibrium of the whole. This piece remains a clear example of his theoretical work during the Bauhaus years, where he sought to define a universal language of art based on objective principles rather than subjective emotion.