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 issued by XXe Siècle, Paris 1939. (there were no hand-signed impressions).
Edition c.1000-1200 but very many impressions destroyed or lost during the war (see below).
Ref: Roethel - Kandinsky Das Graphische Werk No.201

Very fine impression. On pale cream wove paper. Excellent condition. Printed almost to full sheet size as issued. Sheet: 9 1/4 x 12 1/8ins. (235x308mm)

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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.