Der Blaue Reiter is a term that refers to a group of international artists based in Munich who experimented with Abstraction and Expressionism. The group was initially founded by Wassily Kandinsky and Franz Marc, and other members included Paul Klee, August Macke, Marianne von Werefkin, and Alexej von Jawlensky. The group was not a movement or a school with a definite program, but rather a loosely knit organization of artists that organized group shows between 1911 and 1914. The group’s name comes from the title of a painting by Kandinsky, and it refers to the riders in popular myths and also to Saint George. For Kandinsky, the rider is a metaphor for the artist. The group wanted to create a work entitled The Blue Rider Almanac, a publication made up of images and articles created exclusively by artists in different disciplines and from different countries. The Almanac was published in 1912, and it included works by members of the group as well as other artists. The group’s focus was on the promotion of modern art, and they contributed greatly to the development of abstract art.
The Blue Rider group’s use of color and form differed from other art movements of the time in that they believed blue was the most spiritual color, and the rider symbolized the ability to move beyond. The group’s art was characterized by the use of abstraction and expressionism, with key themes and motifs including spirituality, power, primitivism, and mobility. he group drew parallels between painting and music, often naming their works Compositions, Improvisations, and Études, among other things. The group’s art was also influenced by symbolism, which was both a style and a philosophy.
The Blue Rider group disbanded at the start of World War I in 1914. The outbreak of the war led to the group’s members being called to military service, and two of its founding members, Franz Marc and August Macke, died in the war. he group’s short life and tragic end marked the end of an era in the development of modern art.