Vintage 1938 Framed Wassily Kandinsky Lithograph Print Titled 'Comets' Possibly From Verve Magazine

This fantastic lithograph print titled 'Comets' by Wassily Kandinsky is most likely from a publication called Verve, a modernist Parisian art magazine published quarterly by Teriade between 1937 and 1960. Born in 1866, Moscow-born artist Wassily Wassilyevich Kandinsky is widely acknowledged as one of the fathers of abstraction.

From what we can gather, Vol 1, No 2 (Spring 1938) printed by Mourlot, contained four lithographs by Kandinsky and Andre Masson, overall called ‘Heavenly Bodies’ and individually entitled ‘Stars’ (Kandinsky), ‘Comets’ (Kandinsky) ‘The Sun’ (Masson) and ‘The Moon’ (Masson).

These works and many others in the folio were loose and free for framing.

However, this scarce print is unknown to Hans Roethel, author of 'Kandinsky, das graphische Werk'. The print is apparently based on a lost watercolour, according to fellow author Vivian Barnett in 'Kandinksy Watercolours, Vol. Two, 1922-1944', catalogued at no. 1216 as 'Comets for 'Verve' No2'. She states that there is no number in Kandinsky's handlist for this image, which "is unusual" so it may have in fact been an original print and not a watercolour to begin with.

Typical of his work from this period, Kandinsky's vibrant abstract theme is marked by geometrical components such as grids, triangles and circles. With it's striking colour palette of bold colours against a stark backdrop, 'Comets' is a stunning piece of art, sure to dominate any wall.