The Dawn of Imaginative Knowledge in the Birth of Abstract Art: The Influence of Rudolf Steiner on Artistic Modernism

The present research aims to determine and document the influence exerted by the thought of Doctor Rudolf Steiner on the theory and practice of the main artists of the early 20th century, more specifically those who gave Western art a new direction by eliminating the representational content of the works and embracing a purely abstract language. Among these pioneering artists is undoubtedly the Russian Wassily Kandinsky, considered one of the first to explore the possibilities of this new abstract language. Kandinsky not only attended some of the conferences and lessons given by Dr. Steiner in the city of Munich, but there is evidence that he read some of the works of the aforementioned Dr. Steiner, as is evident from the presence of these works in the painter's personal library. 

The investigation proposes a reading of the modern art movement, not only from its visual and formal dimension, but also through a holistic approach that integrates philosophical and spiritual thought. The figure of Rudolf Steiner, is a hitherto little-recognized influence in the history of modern art, bringing us closer to a new interpretation of avant-garde movements and the development of abstract art.

By revisiting Rudolf Steiner’s influence on artists such as Wassily Kandinsky it is offered a unique perspective on how art can be a means for exploration and connection to deeper dimensions of reality. This understanding can help to recover a vision of art as a vehicle for transformation and knowledge.