LESS IS MORE/ABSTRACT ART
Around 1910, artists began to paint pictures that were not meant to be pictures of things, but things in their own right. Instead of showing recognizable scenes, these paintings used combinations of lines and shapes and colors that were put together in expressive ways. This kind of art is called abstract art.
One of the earliest of abstract artists was Wassily Kandinsky. Cossacks, 1910-1911, for example, was based on a battle scene, but is distorted almost beyond recognition. The shapes and colors suggest the commotion of battle. But when you look at the painting, you see them as separate elements, rather than as parts of a scene.
Kandinsky said he was inspired to make abstract art by seeing a painting lying on its side. He thought the images looked more interesting upside down.
*Note: A closer look at Cossacks reveals three red squares on the right which represent Cossack soldiers who wore red hats. Two of them are holding lances. On the left, two more red-hatted Cossacks fight on horseback. In the background, there is a fort with birds flying overhead.