Picture XVI the Great Gate of Kiev Stage Set for Mussorgsky S Pictures at an Exhibition i — Fine Art

Picture XVI the Great Gate of Kiev Stage Set for Mussorgsky S Pictures at an Exhibition in 1928 opens on a large arch and a column of small windows stacked above it. The eye enters at the gate and rests on the towers. Wassily Kandinsky uses clear edges and a few strong colour patches.

The fine art frame gives the picture a clean border on the wall. White, wood, dark wood or black each change how the outline meets the image. A dark frame keeps the heavy forms steady. A light frame lets the pale parts stay open.

On a bedroom wall the arch stands out above the bed. From the doorway the gate reads as a solid block. Up close the pencil lines show the build of the towers. The print stays calm on that wall.