The Painting (1903)

The original painting Der Blaue Reiter was created by Wassily Kandinsky in 1903. This oil on card work depicts a horseman in a blue cloak riding a white horse through a meadow with a forest in the background. It marked an important transition in Kandinsky's artistic style from impressionism to the beginnings of modern abstract art. The color blue held spiritual significance for Kandinsky, a theme that would be central to his later work and the movement he co-founded.

The Art Movement (1911-1914)

In 1911, Kandinsky and Franz Marc founded the art movement Der Blaue Reiter in Munich. This group was a key part of German Expressionism and focused on abstract forms, prismatic colors, and the spiritual values of art. The movement was characterized by its emphasis on color and form carrying concrete spiritual values, and the artists often drew parallels between painting and music. The name Der Blaue Reiter symbolized the group's ideals, with blue representing spirituality and the rider symbolizing transcendent mobility.

The Almanac (1912)

The movement also published an influential almanac titled Der Blaue Reiter in 1912. This almanac featured contemporary, primitive, and folk art, as well as children's paintings. It included original woodcuts and reproductions of other works of art, and Kandinsky's woodcut cover for the almanac is particularly notable for its bold, flat, "primitive" style, reflecting the group's aesthetic and ideals.

Key Works and Legacy

Kandinsky's work during this period, such as "Composition VII" and "The Fate of the Animals," exemplified the movement's shift towards abstraction and its exploration of spiritual themes. However, the outbreak of World War I in 1914 disrupted the group, leading to its dissolution. Despite its short existence, Der Blaue Reiter had a significant impact on modern art, influencing subsequent movements and artists.