Wassily Kandinsky
1866-1944 · Russian-born, naturalized French · Der Blaue Reiter, Expressionism, Abstract art, Bauhaus
Biography
Wassily Kandinsky trained as a lawyer in Moscow before moving to Munich in 1896 to paint. With Franz Marc he founded Der Blaue Reiter in 1911, and his Improvisations and Compositions of those years are counted among the first fully abstract paintings in Western art. He taught at the Bauhaus from 1922 to 1933, then settled near Paris, where he died in 1944. For the market, the Murnau landscapes and early abstractions from 1908 to 1914 are the scarcest and most contested, and several recent top lots were restituted works. His auction record is $44.9 million, set in London in 2023, and works of museum quality still appear in London and New York evening sales every season.
Recent auction results
| Das bunte LebenChristie's, London | $42.03M | Oct 14, 2026 | timesofisrael.com |
|---|---|---|---|
| MorgenstundeChristie's, New York | $8.62M | May 18, 2026 | heni.com |
| Ohne TitelSotheby's, Paris | $422K | Apr 16, 2026 | heni.com |
| Le rond rougeChristie's, London | $16.73M | Mar 5, 2026 | heni.com |
| Ohne Titel (Dessin pour l'almanach "Europa" 1925)Christie's, New York | $504K | May 13, 2025 | heni.com |
| EntrücktBonhams, London | $271K | Apr 2, 2025 | heni.com |
Market
- Liquidity: High
Museums
- Centre Pompidou, Parigi
- Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York
- Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Monaco
- Galleria Tret'jakov, Mosca
- Museo di Stato Russo, San Pietroburgo
News
- Oct 27, 2026: Christie’s First Abu Dhabi Art Auction to Be Accompanied by Exhibition of $60 M.–$80 M. Kandinsky ARTnews
- Oct 15, 2026: $41.7 million Kandinsky painting leads Christie’s October London auctions. Artsy
Sources
- AP via WSLS, record Murnau mit Kirche II (2 marzo 2023)
- Times of Israel, Das bunte Leben (16 ottobre 2026)
- The Art Newspaper, Christie's London ottobre 2026
- HENI News, profilo Kandinsky
- HENI News, Le rond rouge
- HENI News, Morgenstunde
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