Landscape near Murnau with Blue Tree
Original: Painting on board; Image: Calendar reproduction on cardstock • Wassily Kandinsky (Original attribution)
Style & Movement
Expressionism (Der Blaue Reiter school)
Medium & Technique
Mechanical offset lithography or digital printing (reproducing an original oil painting with heavy impasto and visible brushstrokes)
Creation Period
Original painting: 1908-1909; Identification of print: Contemporary (late 20th to early 21st century)
Dimensions & Format
Small format; approximately 4 x 6 inches (Postcard/Calendar size). Landscape orientation.
Subject Description
An abstract landscape featuring a prominent dark blue tree in the center-left composition, set against rolling hills and a village in the background. The work marks Kandinsky's transition from figuration toward pure abstraction, utilizing non-naturalistic color to evoke emotional response.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Fair; the object is a clipped portion of a mass-produced calendar, with visible creasing on the left edge and no margins.
Estimated Market Value
$0 - $5 (Nominal decorative value)
Auction Estimate
No commercial auction value as a clipping.
Provenance History
Mass-produced commercial print likely sourced from a modern museum or art calendar; no individual auction or gallery provenance.
Art Historical Significance
The original work is highly significant for representing the Murnau period of Kandinsky's career, documenting the moment Expressionism pushed toward Abstraction. As a calendar clipping, it has no art historical significance but serves as a decorative reference.
Notable Features
High-saturation color palette typical of the Munich-based Expressionist movement; visibly reproduced impasto texture from the original oil-on-board artwork.
Condition Issues
Trimmed edges, paper creasing on the left side, absence of the original calendar context, and potential UV fading from display.
Conservation Recommendations
Mounting in an acid-free mat if kept for sentimental value; keep out of direct sunlight to prevent further fading of commercial inks.
Collector Notes
From a calendar