Impression IV 1911

Kandinsky made Impression IV with oils, and you can see that the painting came into being through trial, error, and intuition. I sympathize with Kandinsky, imagining what it might have been like to create this piece. What was he thinking when he made it? There's such a feeling of movement. The paint is applied in thin washes and broad strokes, building up areas of color and texture that give the painting a real vibrancy. The physicality of the medium is so present, like in that dark, arching stroke of the horse's back which is charged with energy, communicating feeling and intention in equal measure. It's a bit like looking at the work of other painters who were also trying to capture a feeling, like some of the Impressionists, even though Kandinsky’s really pushing towards something else entirely. Artists are always in conversation with one another, across time, inspiring each other’s creativity. Painting is really just a form of expression, right? It embraces ambiguity and uncertainty, allowing for multiple interpretations and meaning over any fixed reading.