Aquarell Nr. 3 1911

Wassily Kandinsky created this watercolor, Aquarell Nr. 3, employing a dreamlike interplay of shapes and colors. A serpent slithers across the plane, an ancient symbol, often linked to primordial wisdom, healing, but also chaos and temptation. The serpent, a potent emblem, appears across cultures, from the Ouroboros, endlessly consuming itself, to the serpent in the Garden of Eden. This limbless reptile is often seen intertwined with the Rod of Asclepius, a symbol of medicine, which then evolved into the modern caduceus. Observe how Kandinsky liberates the serpent from its concrete form, expressing it as a fluid line, almost like a primal force unfurling across the canvas. This rendering engages our collective memory, stirring subconscious associations. Note its capacity to simultaneously attract and repel, provoking a visceral response tied to instinct and survival. Here, the serpent's image is not static; rather, it evolves with each viewing, rippling through our cultural psyche.