Holzschnitt fur XXe Siécle, 1939. Woodcut for '20th Century' 1939. by Wassily Kandinsky, 1866-1944

Wassily Kandinsky, 1866-1944
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Holzschnitt fur XXe Siécle, 1939. Woodcut for '20th Century' 1939.

Original woodcut in two colours. 1939. Signed with the monogram in the block. From the only edition, 1939. (No impressions were pencil signed). Created and the blocks cut by Kandinsky especially for the publisher G. de San Lazzaro, Paris 1939. Edition issued by by San Lazzaro in the series: 'XXe Siècle', Paris 1939. Edition c.1000 (5-600 for Europe and 5/600 for the USA) but very many impressions were destroyed or lost during the war.
Note: This is the only colour print by Kandinsky from his mid 1930's period.
Ref: Roethel - Kandinsky Das Graphische Werk no.201

Very fine fresh impression. On pale cream wove paper. Excellent condition (sheet with pinholes in the top edge as issued). Printed almost to full sheet size as issued. Sheet: 245 x 318mm. Image appox: 9 3/8 x 12 1/8ins.

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Kandinsky drew and cut the blocks for this composition specially for San Lazzaro, the publisher of the review XXe Siècle, on the occasion of the issue focussing on Kandinsky's early work of the 1908-1911 period. The only edition of the print was that printed direct from the blocks and issued in the 1939 issue of the XXe Siècle review. There was no separate signed edition and no signed impressions of the XXe Siècle edition are recorded.

The original edition was between 1000 and 1200 impressions, of which half were intended to be sold in Europe and half in the USA. The USA issue never seems to have taken place and a large percentage of the whole edition was lost during the war and is presumed to have been destroyed.

He composition is of some considerable importance in Kandinsky's graphic work for it is the only colour print that he made in this later period of his art, and it shows the constantly evolving development of his approach to abstract form at this date.