A rare Wassily Kandinsky painting was just sold at auction this fall. While the painting itself is absolutely remarkable, many art historians are intrigued by its past.
Amid the calamity of World War II, Nazis pilfered the painting from its rightful owners. Though the ownership over the decades has come into question, the most recent buyer purchased the piece for a steep sum.
Wassily Kandinsky Created the Piece in 1907
Russian artist Wassily Kandinsky painted “Das bunte Leben (La vie mélangée),” or, “The Colorful Life,” in France in 1907. Nearly 120 years after its creation, it was sold at auction on October 14.
However, the recent sale isn’t the only major event in the piece’s life.
The official listing on the Christie’s auction house website estimates that the painting was worth between £18-25 million. Ultimately, it was sold for £31.56 million. That equates to approximately $42 million as of the time of the sale.
Christie’s notes that Dutch-Jewish art collector Emanuel Lewenstein initially owned the piece. He chose to store it at the Stedelijk Museum in 1933. World War II was just years from breaking out and tensions were already high in the region. After his death, the painting went to his children. They left the Netherlands for safety amid the Nazi invasion, The New York Times reports.
The Guardian notes that the painting’s ownership came into question amid the chaos of World War II. In 2017, Lewenstein’s heirs claimed it was sold at auction without their consent.
A German Bank Believed It Owned the Piece Amid a Legal Debacle
German bank Bayerische Landesbank, also known as BayernLB, believed that they held the rights to the artwork. The institution told The Guardian that they were the rightful owner of the painting in 2017.
“In 1972, BayernLB legally acquired the painting ‘Das Bunte Leben’ by Kandinsky at the instigation of the City of Munich,” the company issued an official statement to The Guardian. “The purchase negotiations were handled by the Lenbachhaus museum, where the painting has been publicly displayed on permanent loan ever since.
“Nonetheless, BayernLB is willing to take part in a review by the so-called Limbach Commission. BayernLB feels, however, that the commission’s decision should be binding on all parties. BayernLB has expressed its desire that the painting remain on public display at the Lenbachhaus rather than be taken away,” the company added.
The Painter’s Vibrant Art is Worth Millions Today
Despite the questions about the painting’s past and true ownership, art lovers are drawn in by the brilliant pops of color and intricate designs — a core feature of Kandinsky’s pieces.
“Bursting with a kaleidoscopic play of vivid colour and vitalistic energy, ‘Das bunte Leben (La vie mélangée)’ is among the early masterworks of Wassily Kandinsky’s storied career,” Christie’s described the painting on its website. “Executed on a monumental scale that reveals the artist’s bold ambitions for the work, the canvas is alive with detail and incident, independent touches of vibrant pigment building a mosaic-like pattern that describes a panoramic, romantic view of the often conflicting and contrasting aspects of the lived experience.”
“The scene teems with intriguing vignettes, the lively cast of characters offering juxtaposing visions of love and death, peace and chaos, danger and an idyllic, festive atmosphere, creating a rich symphonic composition that conveys the multifaceted nature of human existence,” the auction house writes.
The person who purchased the painting this year wished to remain anonymous.
Rare Kandinsky Painting Stolen By Nazis Sells for $42M at Auction