A History of Abstract Art,
From Past to Present
Part I: Meet the Father of Abstract Art: Wassily Kandinsky
When you think of abstract art, chances are your mind conjures a swirl of colors, lines dancing across the canvas, and shapes that seem to have a life of their own. Behind this visual symphony stands Wassily Kandinsky, (1866-1944), often hailed as the Father of Abstract Art. But Kandinsky wasn’t born with a paintbrush in hand; in fact, his path to abstraction was anything but straightforward.
Born in Moscow, Kandinsky was initially more of a scholar than a painter. He studied law and economics, which might surprise you considering the free-spirited lines and explosive colors he would later create. But a trip to Munich changed everything. Inspired by the vibrancy of modern art, he abandoned his stable career to follow his true passion—painting.
Kandinsky had a bold idea: art didn’t need to imitate reality. He believed colors and shapes could express emotions and music-like rhythms, all on their own. Imagine hearing a symphony, but instead of sounds, you see it on canvas. That was his vision. He started creating works where objects disappeared entirely, leaving pure color, form, and feeling. It was revolutionary—and at first, a little shocking to the art world.
He also wrote extensively about his ideas. Kandinsky wasn’t just painting; he was explaining why art could be more than what meets the eye. His book Concerning the Spiritual in Art remains a key text for artists exploring abstraction today.
From geometric experiments to wild, emotive splashes of color, Kandinsky’s journey reminds us that abstraction isn’t just about looking “different”—it’s about feeling differently. He opened the door for generations of artists to explore the invisible world of emotion, sound, and imagination.
So next time you stare at an abstract painting and wonder, “What on earth am I looking at?”—thank Kandinsky. He showed the world that the heart, not the eye, is often the best guide in art.
Composition 8; July 1923; Oil on Canvas; 55.25×79”
Credit: Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York; Solomon R. Guggenheim Founding Collection, By Gift.
Part II: Meet Piet Mondrian
Piet Mondrian (1872–1944) was a pioneering Dutch painter and one of the key figures in the development of abstract art. He began his career painting landscapes in the Netherlands, but gradually moved toward pure abstraction, seeking to express universal harmony through art.
Between 1907 and 1914 Mondrian absorbed the influence of artists such as Vincent van Gogh, Fauvism, and Cubism. His paintings of trees and church facades grew increasingly simplified into rhythmic networks of lines and color planes. Encounters with Pablo Picasso’s Cubism during his Paris years (on and off again from 1911–38) convinced him to pursue complete abstraction.
Mondrian became a leading voice in the Dutch art movement De Stijl (1917-1931) which emphasized simplicity, order, and balance. He developed a distinctive style using only vertical and horizontal lines, along with primary colors (red, blue, yellow), evident in his iconic Composition with Red, Blue, and Yellow, painted in 1930, and neutrals (black, white, gray). This approach, which he called Neo-Plasticism, aimed to strip art down to its essential elements.
From Paris Mondrian relocated to London and finally New York to escape World War II. In Manhattan he embraced the city’s dynamism and jazz rhythms, evident in his late works Broadway Boogie-Woogie and the unfinished Victory Boogie-Woogie.
Piet Mondrian died of pneumonia in 1944. His disciplined abstractions influenced movements from the Bauhaus to Minimalism and continues to shape design, architecture, and popular culture.
Composition in Red, Blue and, Yellow;1930; Oil and Paper On Canvas; 23-3/4 × 21-7/8”
Credit: Kunsthaus Zurich
Boogie Woogie; 1942-43; Oil on Canvas; 50×50”
Credit: Given Anonymously to MOMA
Piet Mondrian