Color Study, Squares with Concentric Rings 1913

Kandinsky began painting late in life. In fact, he left a successful career in law when he moved to Munich to study art. He developed what he referred to as ‘non-objective painting' late in his career (he was still painting landscapes as late as 1913).

This is not all that surprising considering his work was unique and revolutionary.This bold, colorful picture was painted by Kandinsky to explore the effect of placing different colors side by side. He wanted to find out which colors stand out and which ones blend together, and how to balance different colors to create a bright, attractive pattern.

Color has a huge impact in abstract paintings and Kandinsky defined yellow as ‘an intense trumpet blast by its nature springing from the page' and blue as having ‘a celestial sound that touches the depths'. These colors, both present in Squares with Concentric Circles, seem to justify Kandinsky's descriptions.