As Montblanc celebrates 110 years of its pioneering spirit, it pays tribute to one of the most influential painters and art theorists reflecting another 20th century pioneer: Wassily Kandinsky (1866 – 1944). The Russian-born painter was one of the most impacting masters of abstract modern art, credited with creating one of the first ever purely abstract works of art. His avant-garde masterpieces have been admired and studied by many generations of artists from his students at the Bauhaus to the Abstract Expressionists after in the second half of the 20th century beyond. Created in the Montblanc Artisan Atelier from the finest materials and shaped by highly skilled master craftsmen, the Kandinsky Artisan Edition brings to life his pioneering vision with every design detail of the writing instrument inspired by his artistic journey from Moscow to Weimar and Paris.
Kandinsky’s distinguished art career began 120 years ago in 1896, when at the age of 30 he gave up a promising teaching career to begin experimenting with painting. By highlighting the correlation between form and colour, Kandinsky created visuals that expressed his inner feelings with great intensity and spirituality. His belief was that copying from nature was a distraction and only through abstraction could he develop a deeper and more meaningful visual vocabulary that would truly stir emotions. The design of the Artisan Edition Homage to Kandinsky Limited Edition 3 highlights his pioneering approach to abstract art with the skeletonized cap in Au750 white gold featuring the geometrical shapes in a 3D layered effect and the curved black lines of Yellow-Red-Blue (1925), one of his great masterpieces during his Bauhaus years. The limitation number of just three pieces is based on the three primary colours of the painting, masterfully recreated in blue, yellow and red gemstones set in the white gold structure of the fountain pen. While the overall design of the writing instrument reflects the artist’s bold geometrical style, subtle references has been made to Kandinsky’s Russian heritage. The domed shape of the cone set with rows of bright diamonds and dark blue sapphires evokes his early Moscow Church paintings, and the colourful gemstones that adorn cap and barrel are symbolic of prosperous time in Russia’s history during the reign of Tsar Alexander II. In a tribute to the great master, Kandinsky’s signature in black lacquer adorns the cap and the Au750 sold gold nib is engraved with a ‘K’, one of his famous signatures. Crowning the precious writing instrument, a single approx. 0,11ct Montblanc diamond shines bright, suspended in a clear sapphire half bowl and elegantly surrounded by two rows of diamonds.
With a limitation number of 77 in reference to his age when he passed away, the Artisan Edition Homage to Kandinsky Limited Edition 77unites his early life in Russia and his significant contribution to the abstract movement. Inspired by the mosaic of shapes and colours in his milestone painting Yellow-Red-Blue, the skeletonized cap in Au750 Champagne tone gold is layered with blue, yellow and red lacquer inlays creating a three-dimensional effect. One of Kandinsky’s sinuous black lines becomes the writing instrument’s clip, floating above the geometric shapes. The precious lacquer of the barrel in a rich graded colour transitioning from deep blue to a red colour mirrors the famous painting’s characteristic planes rich in colours and gradations. Shaped like the domes of Moscow’s churches that a young Kandinsky captured on canvas, the rounded cone contrasts with the strong geometric structure of the cap that captures the creative genius of the artists during the height of his career. Kandinsky’s signature features on the base of the cap and his special “K” is etched on the AU750 Champagne tone gold nib. Suspended in a clear sapphire half bowl surrounded by red and black lacquer, the Montblanc emblem is crafted from mother-of-pearl.
The result of the highest level of craftsmanship, the Montblanc Artisan Edition Homage to Kandinsky embodies the pioneering spirit of an artist who fearlessly pushed boundaries to establish the abstract movement and become a catalyst for future artists. Just as Kandinsky’s controversial works have now become timeless masterpieces, Montblanc has applied his vision to a writing masterpiece that masterfully captures the story of a creative genius and his unrelenting passion for abstract art.