ArtworkStatus unknown

Improvisation No. 30 (Cannons)

by Artist-Unknown

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oil paint (paint)111 × 111 Cm

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About the artwork

Artist supplied description.

In his 1912 book Concerning the Spiritual in Art, Vasily Kandinsky made an analogy between music and painting as two means of abstraction, a radical mode of artmaking that freed color and line from their traditionally representational functions. Between 1910 and 1914 he produced “improvisations,” works he described as unconscious, spontaneous expressions. Kandinsky commented on Improvisation No. 30 (Cannons) in a letter to Arthur Jerome Eddy, a friend and collector from Chicago: “The cannons . . . could probably be explained by the constant war talk going on through the year [but] the true contents are what the spectator experiences while under the effect of the forms and color combinations of the picture.”

Artwork metadata

Structured fields synced from connected systems.

Medium	oil paint (paint)
Dimensions	111 × 111 Cm
Tags	Century of Progressworld's fairsChicago World's Fairsblue (color)purple (color)yellow (color)red (color)weaponscannons
Certificate	Certificate not provided

Timeline

Chain of custody, exhibitions, and verification milestones synced from the provenance service.

Wed

Jan

note

Vivian Endicott Barnett, The Chicago Lawyer Arthur Jerome Eddy and His Eclectic Art Collection

2026 at 08:22 PM

Vivian Endicott Barnett, The Chicago Lawyer Arthur Jerome Eddy and His Eclectic Art Collection (Philadelphia: American Philosophical Society Press, 2022), 95, 98, fig. 11.3 (color ill.), 174.

Wed

Jan

exhibition

Cleveland Museum of Art, Centennial Celebration, Aug. 27–Dec. 4, 2016.

2026 at 08:16 PM

Cleveland Museum of Art, Centennial Celebration, Aug. 27–Dec. 4, 2016.

Wed

Jan

exhibition

Fort Worth, Kimbell Art Museum, The Age of Picasso and Matisse: Modern Masters from the Art Institute of Chicago, Oct. 6, 2013–Feb. 16, 2014, no cat. no.

2026 at 08:13 PM

Fort Worth, Kimbell Art Museum, The Age of Picasso and Matisse: Modern Masters from the Art Institute of Chicago, Oct. 6, 2013–Feb. 16, 2014, no cat. no.

Wed

Jan

exhibition

Munich, Staedtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus und Kunstbau, Kandinsky: Absolute, Abstract, October 25, 2008–February 28, 2009, cat. 36 (ill.).

2026 at 08:08 PM

Munich, Staedtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus und Kunstbau, Kandinsky: Absolute, Abstract, October 25, 2008–February 28, 2009, cat. 36 (ill.).

Wed

Jan

exhibition

London, Tate Modern, Kandinsky: The Path to Abstraction, June 22-October 1, 2006, pp. 127, cat. 51 (color ill.), 219; traveled to Basel, Kunstmuseum, October 21, 2006-February 4, 2007.

2026 at 08:06 PM

London, Tate Modern, Kandinsky: The Path to Abstraction, June 22-October 1, 2006, pp. 127, cat. 51 (color ill.), 219; traveled to Basel, Kunstmuseum, October 21, 2006-February 4, 2007.

Wed

Jan

note

Fischer, Hartwig, and Sean Rainbird, eds., Kandinsky: The Path to Abstraction, exh. cat.

2026 at 08:06 PM

Fischer, Hartwig, and Sean Rainbird, eds., Kandinsky: The Path to Abstraction, exh. cat. (London: Tate, 2006), 127, cat. 51 (color ill.), 219.

Wed

Jan

note

Stein, Lisa, “Summer Art School,” Chicago Tribune

2026 at 08:03 PM

Stein, Lisa, “Summer Art School,” Chicago Tribune (August 15, 2003), Section 7, 1 (ill.), 10.

Wed

Jan

note

Zelanski, Paul, and Mary Pat Fisher, The Art of Seeing

2026 at 08:02 PM

Zelanski, Paul, and Mary Pat Fisher, The Art of Seeing (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 2002), 478 (color ill. 15.47).

Wed

Jan

note

Clarke, Jay A., “Neo-Idealism, Expressionism, and the Writing of Art History,” The Art Institute of Chicago Museum Studies 28, 1

2026 at 08:02 PM

Clarke, Jay A., “Neo-Idealism, Expressionism, and the Writing of Art History,” The Art Institute of Chicago Museum Studies 28, 1 (2002), 35, 36 (fig. 11).

Wed

Jan

note

McGreevy, Linda F., Bitter Witness: Otto Dix and the Great War

2026 at 08:01 PM

McGreevy, Linda F., Bitter Witness: Otto Dix and the Great War (New York: P. Lang, 2001), 131 (ill.).

Wed

Jan

note

Grohmann, Will, Wassily Kandinsky: Life and Work, trans. Norbert Guterman

2026 at 07:58 PM

Grohmann, Will, Wassily Kandinsky: Life and Work, trans. Norbert Guterman (New York: H. N. Abrams, 1958), pp. 128-29, 133 (color ill.), 144, 332 (cat. 161).

Wed

Jan

note

Myers, Bernard Samuel, The German Expressionists: A Generation in Revolt

2026 at 07:57 PM

Myers, Bernard Samuel, The German Expressionists: A Generation in Revolt (New York: Praeger, 1957), 213 (color ill.), 214-15.

Wed

Jan

exhibition

New York, Museum of Modern Art, German Art of the Twentieth Century, October 1-December 8, 1957, cat. 65 (ill.); traveled to St. Louis, City Art Museum, January 8-February 24, 1958.

2026 at 07:57 PM

New York, Museum of Modern Art, German Art of the Twentieth Century, October 1-December 8, 1957, cat. 65 (ill.); traveled to St. Louis, City Art Museum, January 8-February 24, 1958.

Wed

Jan

note

Selz, Peter, German Expressionist Painting

2026 at 07:57 PM

Selz, Peter, German Expressionist Painting (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1957), 267-68, pl. 104.

Wed

Jan

note

Haftmann, Werner, et. al., German Art of the Twentieth Century, exh. cat.

2026 at 07:57 PM

Haftmann, Werner, et. al., German Art of the Twentieth Century, exh. cat. (New York: Museum of Modern Art in collaboration with City Art Museum, St. Louis, 1957), cat. 65 (ill.).

Thu

Jan

exhibition

Berlin, Neue Nationalgalerie, Das XX. Jahrhundert: ein Jahrhundert Kunst in Deutschland, September 4, 1999-January 9, 2000, cat. 197 (color ill.).

1999 at 12:45 AM

Berlin, Neue Nationalgalerie, Das XX. Jahrhundert: ein Jahrhundert Kunst in Deutschland, September 4, 1999-January 9, 2000, cat. 197 (color ill.).

Thu

Jan

note

Stokstad, Marilyn, Art History, vol. 2

1999 at 12:45 AM

Stokstad, Marilyn, Art History, vol. 2 (New York : H.N. Abrams, 1999), pp. 1047, 1048 (color ill. 28-31), 1081.

Thu

Jan

note

Hoffer, Charles R., Music Listening Today

1999 at 12:45 AM

Hoffer, Charles R., Music Listening Today (Belmont, Calif.: Wadsworth Pub. Co., 1999).

Thu

Jan

note

Otto, Almut, et. al., Das XX. Jahrhundert: ein Jahrhundert Kunst in Deutschland, exh. cat.

1999 at 12:45 AM

Otto, Almut, et. al., Das XX. Jahrhundert: ein Jahrhundert Kunst in Deutschland, exh. cat. (Berlin: Nationalgalerie Berlin, 1999), cat. 197 (color ill.).

Wed

Jan

note

Ocvirk, Otto G., et al., Art Fundamentals: Theory & Practice, 8th ed.

1998 at 12:45 AM

Ocvirk, Otto G., et al., Art Fundamentals: Theory & Practice, 8th ed. (Boston?: McGraw-Hill, 1998).

Wed

Jan

note

Stockley, Michele, Art Investigator

1998 at 12:45 AM

Stockley, Michele, Art Investigator (Port Melbourne: Heinemann, 1998).

Wed

Jan

note

Benton, Janetta Rebold, and Robert DiYanni, Arts and Culture: An Introduction to the Humanities

1998 at 12:45 AM

Benton, Janetta Rebold, and Robert DiYanni, Arts and Culture: An Introduction to the Humanities (Upper Saddle River, N.J.: Prentice Hall, 1998).

Tue

Jan

note

Barron, Stephanie, and Wolf Dieter Dube, Espressionismo tedesco: arte e società, exh. cat.

1997 at 12:45 AM

Barron, Stephanie, and Wolf Dieter Dube, Espressionismo tedesco: arte e società, exh. cat. (Milan: Bompiani, 1997), cat. 69 (color ill.).

Tue

Jan

note

Fineberg, Jonathan, The Innocent Eye: Children's Art and the Modern Artist

1997 at 12:45 AM

Fineberg, Jonathan, The Innocent Eye: Children's Art and the Modern Artist (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1997), 56-57, 61 (color ill. 3.30), 231 (no. 3.30).

Tue

Jan

exhibition

Venice, Palazzo Grassi, Espressionismo tedesco: arte e società, September 1997-January 1998, cat. 69 (color ill.).

1997 at 12:45 AM

Venice, Palazzo Grassi, Espressionismo tedesco: arte e società, September 1997-January 1998, cat. 69 (color ill.).

Sat

Jan

note

Fineberg, Jonathan, Mit dem Auge des Kindes : Kinderzeichnung und Moderne Kunst, exh. cat.

1995 at 12:45 AM

Fineberg, Jonathan, Mit dem Auge des Kindes : Kinderzeichnung und Moderne Kunst, exh. cat. (München: Stadtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus; Stuttgart: Gerd Hatje, 1995), 69, 71 (color ill. 3.30), 240 (3.30).

Sat

Jan

note

Fleming, William, Arts & Ideas, 9th ed.

1995 at 12:45 AM

Fleming, William, Arts & Ideas, 9th ed. (New York: Harcourt Brace College Publishers, 1995), 595-60, pl. 20.17 (color ill.).

Sat

Jan

exhibition

North Carolina Museum of Art, June 1-December 1, 1995.

1995 at 12:45 AM

North Carolina Museum of Art, June 1-December 1, 1995.

Fri

Jan

note

Ocvirk, Otto G., Art Fundamentals: Theory and Practice, 7th ed.

1994 at 12:45 AM

Ocvirk, Otto G., Art Fundamentals: Theory and Practice, 7th ed. (Madison, Wis. and Dubuque, Iowa: Wm. C. Brown Publishers, 1994).

Fri

Jan

note

Cork, Richard, A Bitter Truth: Avant Garde and the Great War

1994 at 12:45 AM

Cork, Richard, A Bitter Truth: Avant Garde and the Great War (New Haven: Yale University Press in association with Barbican Art Gallery, 1994), 18, 19 (color pl. 7).

Tue

Jan

note

Parsons, Thomas, and Iain Gale, Post-impressionism: The Rise of Modern Art

1992 at 12:45 AM

Parsons, Thomas, and Iain Gale, Post-impressionism: The Rise of Modern Art (London: Studio Editions, 1992), 260-61, 272 (color pl. 271).

Wed

Jan

note

Gordon, Donald E., Expressionism: Art and Idea

1987 at 12:45 AM

Gordon, Donald E., Expressionism: Art and Idea (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1987), 153, 235, note 137.

Thu

Jan

note

Roethel, Hans K., and Jean K. Benjamin, Kandinsky: Catalogue Raisonné of the Oil-Paintings, vol. 1

1982 at 12:45 AM

Roethel, Hans K., and Jean K. Benjamin, Kandinsky: Catalogue Raisonné of the Oil-Paintings, vol. 1 (London: Published for Sotheby Publications by Philip Wilson Publishers, 1982), cat. 452 (ill.), 440 (color ill.).

Wed

Jan

exhibition

Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art, Kandinsky: The Improvisations, April 26-August 2, 1981.

1981 at 12:45 AM

Washington, D.C., National Gallery of Art, Kandinsky: The Improvisations, April 26-August 2, 1981.

Wed

Jan

note

Carmean, E. A., et. al., Kandinsky: The Improvisations, exh. cat.

1981 at 12:45 AM

Carmean, E. A., et. al., Kandinsky: The Improvisations, exh. cat. (Washington, D.C.: National Gallery of Art, 1981).

Mon

Jan

note

Louise Lincoln, ed., German Realism of the Twenties: The Artist As Social Critic, exh. cat.

1980 at 12:45 AM

Louise Lincoln, ed., German Realism of the Twenties: The Artist As Social Critic, exh. cat. (Minneapolis: The Minneapolis Institute of Arts; Berlin: Brüder Hartmann, 1980), 29, fig. 9 (ill.), as Improvisation 30 (Cannon), No. 161.

Mon

Jan

note

Washton Long, Rose-Carol, Kandinsky, the Development of an Abstract Style

1980 at 12:45 AM

Washton Long, Rose-Carol, Kandinsky, the Development of an Abstract Style (Oxford: Clarendon Press; New York: Oxford University Press, 1980), pl. 110, 99-101, 179, note 53.

Mon

Jan

note

Speyer, A. James, and Courtney Graham Donnell, Twentieth Century European Painting

1980 at 12:45 AM

Speyer, A. James, and Courtney Graham Donnell, Twentieth Century European Painting (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1980), 48, no. 2C3.

Thu

Jan

note

Grohmann, Will, Wassily Kandinsky, The Library of Great Painters, Portfolio Edition

1971 at 12:45 AM

Grohmann, Will, Wassily Kandinsky, The Library of Great Painters, Portfolio Edition (New York: H.N. Abrams, 1971), 6, 14, 15 (ill.).

Tue

Jan

note

Overy, Paul, Kandinsky: The Language of the Eye

1969 at 12:45 AM

Overy, Paul, Kandinsky: The Language of the Eye (New York: Praeger Publishers, 1969), 27, pl. 10, 63.

Sun

Jan

note

Arnason, H. H., History of Modern Art: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture

1968 at 12:45 AM

Arnason, H. H., History of Modern Art: Painting, Sculpture, Architecture (New York: H. N. Abrams, 1968), 173, 174 (ill. 318).

Sun

Jan

note

Awazu, Norio, “L’Art du Monde,” Klee/Kandinsky, Enzyklopädie der Weltkunst, vol. 20

1968 at 12:45 AM

Awazu, Norio, “L’Art du Monde,” Klee/Kandinsky, Enzyklopädie der Weltkunst, vol. 20 (Tokyo?: Kawade Shobo, 1968), 111, color ill. 52.

Sat

Jan

note

Art Institute of Chicago, Instituto de Arte de Chicago: Presentación de Charles C. Cunningham

1967 at 12:45 AM

Art Institute of Chicago, Instituto de Arte de Chicago: Presentación de Charles C. Cunningham (Buenos Aires: Editorial Codex, S.A., 1967), 14, no. 64 (ill.), 74 (color ill.).

Fri

Jan

note

Sweet, Frederick A., “Great Chicago Collectors,” Apollo 84, 55

1966 at 12:45 AM

Sweet, Frederick A., “Great Chicago Collectors,” Apollo 84, 55 (September 1966), 196, fig. 20 (ill.).

Fri

Jan

note

Messer, Thomas M., “Kandinsky en Amerique,” XXe Siècle 27

1966 at 12:45 AM

Messer, Thomas M., “Kandinsky en Amerique,” XXe Siècle 27 (December 1966), 113.

Fri

Jan

note

Speyer, A. James, “Twentieth-Century Paintings and Sculpture,” Apollo 84, 55

1966 at 12:45 AM

Speyer, A. James, “Twentieth-Century Paintings and Sculpture,” Apollo 84, 55 (September 1966), 224, fig. 3 (ill.), 225.

Mon

Jan

exhibition

New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Vasily Kandinsky, 1866-1944: A Retrospective Exhibition, January 15-February 15, 1963, cat. 30 (ill.); traveled to San Francisco Museum of Art, March 1-April 1, 1963; Portland Art Museum...

1963 at 12:45 AM

New York, Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, Vasily Kandinsky, 1866-1944: A Retrospective Exhibition, January 15-February 15, 1963, cat. 30 (ill.); traveled to San Francisco Museum of Art, March 1-April 1, 1963; Portland Art Museum, April 15-May 15, 1963; San Antonio, Marion Koogler McNay Art Institute, June 1-July 1, 1963; Colorado Springs Fine Arts Center, July 15-August 25, 1963; Baltimore Museum of Art, September 19-October 20, 1963; Columbus, Ohio, Gallery of Fine Arts, November 5-December 5, 1963; St. Louis, Mo., Washington University Art Gallery, December 22, 1963-January 6, 1964; Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, February 5-March 5, 1964; Worcester Art Museum, March 20-April 20, 1964 (New York only).

Sat

Jan

note

Art Institute of Chicago, Paintings in the Art Institute of Chicago: A Catalogue of the Picture Collection

1961 at 12:45 AM

Art Institute of Chicago, Paintings in the Art Institute of Chicago: A Catalogue of the Picture Collection (Chicago: Art Institute of Chicago, 1961), 250, 434 (ill.).

Sat

Jan

exhibition

Kansas City, William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art and Mary Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, The Logic of Modern Art: An Exhibition Tracing the Evolution of Modern Painting from Cezanne to 1960: Les Fauves, Expressionism, Cubism...

1961 at 12:45 AM

Kansas City, William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art and Mary Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, The Logic of Modern Art: An Exhibition Tracing the Evolution of Modern Painting from Cezanne to 1960: Les Fauves, Expressionism, Cubism, Non-objective Painting, Surrealism, Painting since World War II, January 19-February 26, 1961, cat. 26 (ill.).

Thu

Jan

note

William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art and Mary Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, The Logic of Modern Art: An Exhibition Tracing the Evolution of Modern Painting from Cezanne to 1960: Les Fauves, Expressionism, Cubism, Non-objective Painting, Sur...

1960 at 12:45 AM

William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art and Mary Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, The Logic of Modern Art: An Exhibition Tracing the Evolution of Modern Painting from Cezanne to 1960: Les Fauves, Expressionism, Cubism, Non-objective Painting, Surrealism, Painting since World War II, exh. cat. (Kansas City: William Rockhill Nelson Gallery of Art and Mary Atkins Museum of Fine Arts, 1961), cat. 26 (ill.).