Wassily Kandinsky was a Russian painter and art theorist born in 1866 in Moscow. He is credited with painting the first modern abstract works. He studied law and economics at the University of Moscow before beginning painting studies in his 30s, including life drawing, sketching, and anatomy. The writer chose to discuss Kandinsky because they found his work to be colorful and thought-provoking, enjoying its ability to engage the soul and spark interest. Kandinsky's style incorporated surrealism and cubism, using shapes and representations of dreams to create abstract pieces that blurred reality.