The Blaue Reiter ("Blue Rider") group of artists was formed in Munich in 1911 on the initiative of two outstanding artists: Wassily Kandinsky, the fundamental pioneer of purely abstract painting, and Franz Marc, the creator of mysterious, abstract animal pictures. Together, the Russian, the German and many others in their circle strove towards an apotheosis of the spiritual in art. The outbreak of the First World War appeared to put a brutal end to what was at the time the most importantavant-garde movement in Germany, but its influence continued unabated and inspired whole generations of international artists to create similar utopias.