Wassily Wassilyevich Kandinsky (; ,
Vasiliy Vasil’yevich Kandinskiy, ; – 13 December 1944) was an influential Russian painter and art theorist. He is credited with painting one of the first purely
abstract works. Born in Moscow, Kandinsky spent his childhood in
Odessa, where he graduated at
Grekov Odessa Art school. He enrolled at the
University of Moscow, studying law and economics. Successful in his profession—he was offered a professorship (chair of
Roman Law) at the
University of Dorpat—Kandinsky began painting studies (life-drawing, sketching and anatomy) at the age of 30.