Murnau, Houses in the Obermarkt

Wassily Kandinsky

Murnau, casas en el Obermarkt

Kandinsky, Wassily

Moscú, 1866 - Neuilly-sur-Seine, 1944

Murnau, Houses in the Obermarkt, 1908

© Wassily Kandinsky, VEGAP, Madrid, 2015

Signed on cardboard (back):''Kandinsky''.
Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection
Location: Thyssen-Bornemisza National Museum, Madrid

Oil on cardboard

64,5 x 50,2 cm

CTB.1977.68

Artwork history

  • Estate of the artist

  • Nina Kandinsky, París

  • Leonard Hutton Galleries, New York

  • Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Lugano, 1977

  • Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection

1976

Aspects of 20th Century Art, Sydney, David Jones, Ltd., n. 17. Como: ''The Market at Murnau''

1977

Der Blaue Reiter und sein Kreis, New York (NY), Leonard Hutton Galleries, n. 25

1977 - 1978

La Collection Thyssen-Bornemisza. Tableaux modernes, Brussels Musée d'Ixelles, n. 39, s.p. lám.

1978

Collezione Thyssen-Bornemisza. Arte moderna, Lugano, Villa Malpensata, n. 47, s.p., lám.

1978

La collection Thyssen-Bornemisza. Tableaux modernes, París, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, n. 39

1984

Modern Masters from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Tokio, National Museum of Modern Art; Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art, n. 35, p. 142, lám. p. 51

1984

Modern Masters from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Londres, Royal Academy of Arts, n. 54

1985

Maestri dell'arte moderna nella Collezione Thyssen-Bornemisza, Florencia, Palazzo Pitti, n. 35, p. 158, lám. p. 53

1985

Moderne Malerei aus der Sammlung Thyssen-Bornemisza, Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum; Düsseldorf, Städtische Kunsthalle, n. 35, p. 159, lám. p. 53

1985 - 1986

Maîtres Modernes de la Collection Thyssen-Bornemisza, París, Musée d'Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris, n. 35, p. 166, lám. p. 61

1986

Maestros modernos de la Colección Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Salas Pablo Ruiz Picasso, Biblioteca Nacional, Ministerio de Cultura; Barcelona, Palau de la Virreina, n. 35, p. 169, lám. p. 57

1988

20th Century Masters from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Leningrado, Museo Estatal Ruso; Moscú, Galería Estatal Tretiakov, n. 11, p. 79, lám. p. 39

1989

Espressionismo. Capolavori della collezione Thyssen-Bornemisza, Lugano, Villa Favorita, n. 23, p. 66, lám. p. 67

1990 - 1991

Espressionismo. Capolavori della Collezione Thyssen-Bornemisza da Van Gogh a Klee, Roma, Palazzo Ruspoli, n. 22, p. 78, lám. p. 79

1994 - 1995

Der frühe Kandinsky 1900-1910, Berlín, Brücke-Museum; Tubinga, Kunsthalle, n. 89, s.p., lám.

1995

Kandinsky nelle Collezioni Svizzere, Lugano, Museo Cantonale d´Arte, n. 8, s.p., lám.

1996

De Canaletto a Kandinsky. Obras maestras de la Colección Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, n. 90, p. 230, lam. p. 231

1996 - 1997

From Zurbaran to Picasso. Masterpieces from the Collection of Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, Shanghai, Shanghai Museum; Pekín, China National Art Gallery, p. 144, lám. p. 145

1997

Capolavori dalla Collezione di Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza: 60º anniversario dell'apertura della Pinacotecca di Villa Favorita, Lugano, Villa Favorita, n. 103, p. 262, lám. p. 263

1997

Del vedutismo a las primeras vanguardias. Obras maestras de la Colección Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, Bilbao, Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao, n. 63, p. 198, lám. p. 199

1998 - 1999

Der Blaue Reiter und seine Künstler, Berlín, Brücke-Museum; Tubinga, Kunsthalle Tübingen, n. 2, p. 374, lám. p. 212

1999 - 2000

Del impresionismo a la vanguardia en la Colección Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, Barcelona, Centre Cultural Caixa Catalunya, p. 154, lám. p. 155

2000

Del impresionismo a la vanguardia en la Colección Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, México, DF, Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes, p. 156, lám. p. 157

2000

Del post-impresionismo a las vanguardias. Pintura de comienzos del siglo XX en la Colección Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, Valencia, IVAM Centre Julio González, n. 24, p. 84, lám. p. 85

2000 - 2001

La Révolte de la couleur. De l'impressionnisme aux Avant-gardes. Chefs-d'oeuvre de la Collection Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, Bruselas, Musée d'Ixelles, n. 42, p. 134, lám. p. 135, det. p. 122

2001

Vassily Kandinsky. Rétrospective, Saint-Paul de Vence, Fondation Maeght, n. 23, pp. 66 y 250, lám. p. 65

2002

Il trionfo del colore. Collezione Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza. Monet, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse, Kandinsky, Roma, Palazzo Ruspoli, p. 182, lám. p. 183

2003

Kandinsky. La disolución de la forma, Barcelona, Centre Cultural Caixa Catalunya, p. 78, lám. p. 79

2003 - 2004

Kandinsky. Origen de la abstracción, Madrid, Fundación Juan March, p. 52, lám. p. 53

2008

Vor 100 Jahren. Kandinsky, Münter, Jawlensky, Werefkin in Murnau, Murnau, Schlossmuseum, n. 7, p. 160, lám. p. 80

2008 - 2009

Künstlerpaare: Liebe, Kunst und Leidenschaft, Colonia, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum - Fondation Corboud; La Haya, Gemeentemuseum, n. 44, p. 190, lám. p. 191

2013

Sisley, Kandinsky, Hopper. Col·lecció Carmen Thyssen, Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Espai Carmen Thyssen, p. 112, lám. p. 113

2020 - 2021

German Expressionism from the Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection. Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza. Cat. 66, p. 194-195.

2023 - 2024

KRÔMA. The Emotional Universe of Colour. The Museu Carmen Thyssen Andorra. P. 46, 47, 116, 117 y 188-191.

  • -Kaplan, P. y Manso, S. (eds.): Major European Art Movements. 1900-1945. A Critical Anthology. New York, Dutton, 1977 , n. 81, lám.

  • -La Collection Thyssen-Bornemisza. Tableaux modernes, Bruselas, Musée d’Ixelles [Exhib. Cat.], 1977, n. 39, s.p. lám.

  • -Collezione Thyssen-Bornemisza. Arte moderna, Lugano, Villa Malpensata [Exhib. Cat.], 1978, n. 47, s.p., lám.

  • -La collection Thyssen-Bornemisza. Tableaux modernes, París, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris [Exhib. Cat.], 1978, n. 39.

  • -Roethel, Hans K. y Benjamin, Jean K.: Kandinsky: Catalogue Raisonné of the Oil-Paintings. Ithaca, Cornell University Press, 1982-1984 , vol. 1 (1982), n. 202, p. 202, lám.

  • -Huyghe, René: Un siècle d’art moderne. L’histoire du Salon des Indépendants. 1884-1984. [París], Denoël, 1884, n. 49, il. p. 50.

  • -Modern Masters from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Tokio, National Museum of Modern Art; Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefectural Museum of Art [Exhib. Cat.], 1984,  n. 35, p. 142, lám. p. 51.

  • -Modern Masters from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Londres, Royal Academy of Arts [Exhib. Cat.], 1984,  n. 54.

  • -Maestri dell’arte moderna nella Collezione Thyssen-Bornemisza, Florencia, Palazzo Pitti [Exhib. Cat.], 1985, n. 35, p. 158, lám. p. 53.

  • -Moderne Malerei aus der Sammlung Thyssen-Bornemisza, Nuremberg, Germanisches Nationalmuseum; Düsseldorf, Städtische Kunsthalle [Exhib. Cat.], 1985, n. 35, p. 159, lám. p. 53.

  • -Maîtres Modernes de la Collection Thyssen-Bornemisza, París, Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris [Exhib. Cat.], 1985, n. 35, p. 166, lám. p. 61.

  • -Maestros modernos de la Colección Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Salas Pablo Ruiz Picasso, Biblioteca Nacional, Ministerio de Cultura; Barcelona, Palau de la Virreina [Exhib. Cat.], 1986,  n. 35, p. 169, lám. p. 57.

  • -20th Century Masters from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection, Leningrado, Museo Estatal Ruso; Moscú, Galería Estatal Tretiakov [Exhib. Cat.], 1988, n. 11, p. 79, lám. p. 39.

  • -Vergo, Peter: Expressionism. Masterpieces from the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection. [Exhib. Cat.]. Lugano, Fondazione Thyssen-Bornemisza – Milán, Electa, 1989, n. 23, p. 66, lám. p. 67 [Sheet by Peter Vergo]

  • -Espressionismo. Capolavori della Collezione Thyssen-Bornemisza da Van Gogh a Klee, Roma, Palazzo Ruspoli [Exhib. Cat.], 1990,  n. 22, p. 78, lám. p. 79.

  • -Vergo, Peter: Twentieth-century German Painting: the Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection. London, Sotheby’s Publications, 1992, n. 34, pp. 152-155, lám. p. 153.

  • -Der frühe Kandinsky 1900-1910. [Exhib. Cat. Berlín, Brücke-Museum – Tubinga, Kunsthalle, 1994-1995]. Moeller, Magdalena M. (ed.). Múnich, Hirmer, 1994, n. 89, s.p., lám. [Sheet by Magdalena Moeller]

  • -Kandinsky nelle Collezioni Svizzere, Lugano, Museo Cantonale d´Arte [Exhib. Cat.], 1995, n. 8, s.p., lám.

  • -De Canaletto a Kandinsky. Obras maestras de la Colección Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza [Exhib. Cat.], 1996, n. 90, p. 230, lam. p. 231.

  • -From Zurbaran to Picasso. Masterpieces from the Collection of Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, Shanghai, Shanghai Museum; Pekín, China National Art Gallery [Exhib. Cat.], 1996, p. 144, lám. p. 145.

  • -Capolavori dalla Collezione di Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza: 60º anniversario dell’apertura della Pinacotecca di Villa Favorita, Lugano, Villa Favorita [Exhib. Cat.], 1997, n. 103, p. 262, lám. p. 263.

  • -Del vedutismo a las primeras vanguardias. Obras maestras de la Colección Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, Bilbao, Museo de Bellas Artes de Bilbao [Exhib. Cat.], 1997, n. 63, p. 198, lám. p. 199.

  • -Der Blaue Reiter und seine Künstler, Berlín, Brücke-Museum; Tubinga, Kunsthalle Tübingen [Exhib. Cat.], 1998, n. 2, p. 374, lám. p. 212.

  • -Del impresionismo a la vanguardia en la Colección Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, Barcelona, Centre Cultural Caixa Catalunya [Exhib. Cat.], 1999, p. 154, lám. p. 155.

  • -Del impresionismo a la vanguardia en la Colección Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, México, DF, Museo del Palacio de Bellas Artes [Exhib. Cat.], 2000, p. 156, lám. p. 157.

  • -Del post-impresionismo a las vanguardias. Pintura de comienzos del siglo XX en la Colección Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, Valencia, IVAM Centre Julio González [Exhib. Cat.], 2000, n. 24, p. 84, lám. p. 85.

  • -La Révolte de la couleur. De l’impressionnisme aux Avant-gardes. Chefs-d’oeuvre de la Collection Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza, Bruselas, Musée d’Ixelles [Exhib. Cat.], 2000, n. 42, p. 134, lám. p. 135, det. p. 122.

  • -Vassily Kandinsky. Retrospective. Prat, Jean-Louis. [Exhib. Cat.]. Saint-Paul, Fondation Maeght, 2001 , n. 23, p. 66, lám. p. 65.

  • -Nigro Covre, Jolanda: Astrattismo. Temi e forme dell’astrazione nelle avanguardie europee. Milan, F. Motta, 2002, pp. 129 y 350, lám. p. 351.

  • -Il trionfo del colore. Collezione Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza. Monet, Van Gogh, Gauguin, Toulouse-Lautrec, Matisse, Kandinsky, Roma, Palazzo Ruspoli [Exhib. Cat.], 2002, p. 182, lám. p. 183.

  • -Kandinsky. La disolución de la forma, Barcelona, Centre Cultural Caixa Catalunya [Exhib. Cat.], 2003, p. 78, lám. p. 79.

  • -Kandinsky. Origen de la abstracción, Madrid, Fundación Juan March [Exhib. Cat.], 2003, p. 52, lám. p. 53.

  • -Colección Carmen Thyssen-Bornemisza. Arnaldo, Javier (ed.). 2 vols. Madrid, Fundación Colección Thyssen-Bornemisza, 2004, vol. 2, p. 370, lám. p. 371 [Sheet by Peter Vergo]

  • -Vor 100 Jahren. Kandinsky, Münter, Jawlensky, Werefkin in Murnau, Murnau, Schlossmuseum [Exhib. Cat.], 2008,  n. 7, p. 160, lám. p. 80.

  • -Künstlerpaare. Liebe, Kunst und Leidenschaft. Schaefer, Barbara y Blühm, Andreas (eds.). [Exhib. Cat. Cologne, Wallraf-Richartz & Fondation Corboud-La Haya, Gemeentemuseum, 2008-2009]. Ostfildern, Hatje Cantz, 2008 , n. 44, p. 190, lám. p. 191 [Sheet by Christiane Stukenbrock]

  • -Triadó Tur, J.R. (Coord.).: Kandinsky. Madrid, Tikal  Ed., 2009. p. 47.

  • -Alarcó, P. y Borobia, M. (eds.): Guía de la colección. Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza. Madrid, Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza, 2012, p. 311, lám.

  • –Sisley, Kandinsky, Hopper. Col·lecció Carmen Thyssen, Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Espai Carmen Thyssen [Exhib. Cat.], 2013, p. 112, lám. p. 113.

  • – German Expressionism from the Baron Thyssen-Bornemisza Collection. Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza [Exhib. Cat. Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Solana, G.; Alarcó, P.], Madrid, 2020, Cat.  66, p. 194-195.

  • – KHRÔMA. El Universo emocional del color. Museu Carmen Thyssen Andorra [Exhib. Cat.], Ed. Fundació Museu Andorra (Museand), Principado de Andorra, 2023. P. 46, 47, 116, 117, 188-191  [Sheet by Peter Vergo].

  • -Colección Carmen Thyssen. Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza. Ed. Museo Nacional Thyssen-Bornemisza, Madrid, 2024. P.  266-267 [Sheet by Peter Vergo]

Expert report

For Kandinsky, the years between 1904 and 1908 were years of travel. Much of this time was spent in the company of the young German artist Gabriele Münter, whom he had met in Munich in 1902. During 1904-1905 they visited Holland, Italy and North Africa. The couple was in Paris from 1906-1907, and spent six months in Berlin in the winter of 1907-1908, finally returning to Munich in the summer of 1908. From then on, they divided their time between the Bavarian capital and the village of Murnau, some fifty miles to the south of Munich, which they first visited together in the course of a brief excursion in mid-June 1908.

Both fell in love with the place and, egged on by Kandinsky, Münter bought a house there in August 1909. From then until the outbreak of war in 1914, she and Kandinsky, often joined by other artists including Kandinsky’s compatriots Alexei Jawlensky and Marianne von Werefkin, spent part of every year in Murnau, especially the summers. The village and its surroundings (Murnau is picturesquely situated in the foothills of the Bavarian Alps) provided a repertoire of subjects to which Kandinsky returned constantly during these crucial years which also saw his increasingly radical development towards an abstract style of painting.

Though Houses on the Obermarkt is undated, the artist’s stylistic evolution during these years is so rapid and so decisive that there can be little doubt that this is a work of 1908, done at a time when the influence of Fauve paintings he had seen in Paris is still apparent. Further evidence for the dating of the work is provided by the fact that the picture, which had lain unnoticed for many years in the artist’s last apartment in Neuilly-sur-Seine and which was rediscovered by Kandinsky’s widow, was found wrapped in a copy of a Munich newspaper, the Münchner Neueste Nachrichten, dated 1908. The title, however, is not original nor is the work entered in the artist’s handlists, in which he recorded all his major paintings. Houses on the Obermarkt is merely the title used in the catalogue raisonné compiled by Roethel and Benjamin, by which the picture has subsequently been known.

The painting depicts the main street of Murnau, seen from a shady side street which runs alongside the Griesbräu Inn. The locality has changed so little, even today, that it is possible to identify exactly the point at which the artist must have set up his easel. The scale of the painting and the freedom in the handling of paint make it likely that the picture was painted en plein air, perhaps in a single session.

Peter Vergo

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