The 'Der Blaue Reiter' movement was shattered by World War I, with key figures like Franz Marc and Auguste Macke lost in battle. Those who survived, such as Wassily Kandinsky, Paul Klee, and Alexej von Jawlensky, took their art in new directions, influenced by the trauma and instability of the postwar years. Kandinsky moved toward full abstraction, his works like 'Composition VIII' (1923) reflecting a geometric, structured vision far from the free-flowing forms of prewar Expressionism. Paul Klee, deeply affected by the war, turned to whimsical yet fragmented compositions, as seen in 'Twittering Machine' (1922), which carries an eerie mechanical quality. Jawlensky, exiled from Germany, developed his 'Meditations' series — introspective, mask-like portraits reflecting the emotional toll of exile and war. The vibrant, mystical optimism of 'Der Blaue Reiter' faded, giving way to a more abstract, introspective, and often unsettling vision of the modern world.