The Easel

The Great Spiritual

Kandinsky did not singlehandedly invent abstract art but was its “outstanding pioneer”. Convinced that art could inspire a better world, a 30-ish Kandinsky gave up the law for art. The spiritualist underpinnings of his art now might seem rather dotty. Nonetheless, his “pictorial vocabulary” – energetic colours and decorative shapes – still stands out, conveying “a feeling of joy and freedom that transcends … time and place.” More images are here.