He Switched To An Artistic Career Due To Synesthesia

One of the most interesting and key facts to know about Kandinsky and his art is that he switched to an artistic career due to synesthesia. Synesthesia is a perceptual condition that occurs when one sense is stimulated while another is not. Its name is derived from the Greek words "syn" (join) and "aisthesis" (to put together) (perception). When a person with synesthesia hears a sound or eats, they can smell something or see a shape. Kandinsky, for example, could see colors when he heard music, and he could hear music while painting. Despite his love of painting, Wassily chose to pursue law and received his law degree in 1892. However, the year 1896 marked a turning point in his life.

He had a unique experience due to his synesthesia while listening to a performance of Wagner's Lohengrin at the Bolshoi Theater. He subsequently explained: "I saw all my hues in spirit, before my eyes." In front of me, wild, almost insane lines were sketched. " Kandinsky decided to devote his life to art after this event.