Couples on Horseback (Reitendes Paar)
Original painting (reproduction shown from a calendar) • Wassily Kandinsky
Style & Movement
Expressionism / Early Abstraction (Der Blaue Reiter school style), influenced by Neo-Impressionism and Russian Folk Art.
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas, utilizing a pointillist and mosaic-like technique with bright, flickering dots of color against a dark background.
Creation Period
1906 - 1907
Dimensions & Format
Original: 55 x 50.5 cm; Portrait/Square format. This image: Small-scale calendar cut-out.
Subject Description
A man and a woman in medieval-style attire embrace while riding a horse. The scene is set at night against a luminous riverside backdrop featuring a stylized Russian walled city with golden domes (resembling the Kremlin). Sparkling dots represent autumn leaves and water reflections.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Poor (as an object); the item is a mechanical reproduction from a calendar, showing creases, edge wear, and paper degradation.
Estimated Market Value
$0 - $5 (Negligible; commercial printed matter value)
Auction Estimate
$0 (Not suitable for fine art auction)
Provenance History
Original is held at the Städtische Galerie im Lenbachhaus, Munich. This specific item is a mass-produced modern calendar print with no secondary market provenance.
Art Historical Significance
Crucial transitional work in Kandinsky's career. It marks his move from figurative Russian Romanticism toward the rhythmic, color-driven abstraction he would become famous for with the Blue Rider movement.
Notable Features
Features the artist's characteristic use of glowing, jewel-like colors on a dark ground, a technique inspired by Russian icon painting and enamel work.
Condition Issues
Paper curling at the vertical margins, visible fold lines/creases on the right side, and a glossy surface prone to scratching. It appears to be cut out from a larger page.
Conservation Recommendations
No professional conservation recommended for the print itself. If kept for sentimental value, store in an acid-free sleeve away from direct UV light to prevent further fading.
Collector Notes
From a calendar