Accord réciproque (Reciprocal Accords)

Kandinsky's palette darkened with this large canvas from early 1942. The two large triangular shapes in the painting rest on the fragility of their most acute angle, yet they are tied at the top and bottom by small elastic triangles, hence the title, Accord réciproque (Reciprocal Accords). With its cool tones accentuated by the enamel effect of the Ripolin, it comes across as the swansong of an artist trying to impose his uniqueness. After Kandinsky's death, Nina chose this magnificent binary composition to be placed behind the artist's body in his open casket in his studio in accordance with Russian tradition.