Self portraitSelf portrait

The Russian painter Alexej von The Russian painter Alexej von

Jawlensky Jawlensky ((1864-19411864-1941) ) was one of the was one of the

important contributors to important contributors to

Expressionism, to which he added a Expressionism, to which he added a

meditative, or inward reflective, meditative, or inward reflective,

component of unique powercomponent of unique power..

Born March 13, 1864 (old calendar), on the noble family’s estate near

Torschok in Russia, Jawlensky was the son of a colonel and was himself

destined to become an officer. While still attending cadet school he

discovered the arts, and by obtaining a transfer as a young lieutenant to St.

Petersburg, he was able to study at the Academy of Fine Arts and under the

important Russian realist painter Ilya Repin (called the Russian Courbet).

There he met the painter Marianna von Werefkin, the daughter of a general,

who was to devote a large part of her life to encouraging and furthering

Jawlensky’s career as an artist. In 1896, by then a captain, he left the service

and moved with Werefkin and Helen Nesnakomoff (her servant and later

Jawlensky’s wife and mother of his son Andrej) as well as two other painter

friends to Munich to attend the private art school of Anton Azbé. Here he

met and began a lifelong friendship with Wassily Kandinsky, who was to

become one of the founders of abstract (non-objective) painting.

Jawlensky, The Hunchback 1905Jawlensky, The Hunchback 1905

""La Méditerranée à MarseilleLa Méditerranée à Marseille""19051905

Le Jardin de Carantec 1905Le Jardin de Carantec 1905

"Nature morte avec bouteille, fruits et figure" 1907"Nature morte avec bouteille, fruits et figure" 1907

Extended travels in Europe and especially through France

introduced Jawlensky to modern art developments. He met Henri

Matisse (in 1907 he worked for a while in Matisse’s studio). After

his return to Munich he met Paul Klee and Franz Marc and joined

them and Kandinsky in the most avant-garde artist group in

southern Germany, the New Artist Association Munich.

Kandinsky’s long time friend Gabriele Münter, Alfred Kubin, Adolf

Erbslöh, the Russian Bechtjeleff, and others belonged to his

circle, in which Werefkin played an important intellectual role.

Alexander Sakharoff, 1909Alexander Sakharoff, 1909

White Cloud, 1909White Cloud, 1909

Jawlensky's brightly colored shapes fill the picture space, and his Jawlensky's brightly colored shapes fill the picture space, and his broad brushstrokes accentuate the painted surfacebroad brushstrokes accentuate the painted surface. . He has simplified He has simplified his forms but not lost sight of the his forms but not lost sight of the ""naturalnatural" " elements of his landscape; elements of his landscape;

nor has he transformed nature into total abstractionnor has he transformed nature into total abstraction..

Murnau draft, 1908-1909Murnau draft, 1908-1909

The Vale of the Oy, 1910The Vale of the Oy, 1910

Turbante 1910Turbante 1910

Girl with the Green Face, 1910Girl with the Green Face, 1910 BlondeBlonde--19111911

Jawlensky reduces the illusion of threeJawlensky reduces the illusion of three--dimensionality by applying broad dimensionality by applying broad patterns of decorative color to his backgrounds as well as to his figurespatterns of decorative color to his backgrounds as well as to his figures. . The luxurious colors, bold brushwork, and voluptuous expression of the The luxurious colors, bold brushwork, and voluptuous expression of the subject all contribute to the sensuous richness of the compositionsubject all contribute to the sensuous richness of the composition..

A girl with a red bowA girl with a red bow. . 19111911..

Infantin, 1912Infantin, 1912

Dance Gold fan. 1912. Dance Gold fan. 1912.

Jewish Maiden 1912Jewish Maiden 1912

Feather Hat –Feather Hat – Olga- 1912 Olga- 1912

Still Life with Jug 1912Still Life with Jug 1912

Dame mit FaecherDame mit Faecher

Spanish womanSpanish woman

Spanish GirlSpanish Girl

With the beginning of World War I, Jawlensky as a Russian had to leave

Germany, settling in Switzerland. In 1916 he met Emmy (whom he called

Galka) Scheyer, who became his student and shortly thereafter his

impresario, organizing exhibitions of his works in Germany. In 1924 she

formed the “Blue Four” consisting of Jawlensky, Kandinsky, Klee, and

Lyonel Feininger to introduce the works of these artists to the United

States; she organized – primarily in California – a number of exhibits,

gave lectures, and represented the artists until her death in 1945.

Galka Scheyer, die „Prophetin der Blauen Vier“, mit Lyonel Feininger, Wassily

Kandinsky, Paul Klee und Alexej Jawlensky, Zeitungscollage aus dem „San Francisco

Examiner“ vom 1. November 1925

Variation with Fence-1915

Jawlensky's Variations are colored, Jawlensky's Variations are colored, almost abstract meditations upon a few almost abstract meditations upon a few

unchanging forms distilled from tree unchanging forms distilled from tree shapesshapes. . They clearly foreshadow the They clearly foreshadow the

iconicon--like quality of his later work, with its like quality of his later work, with its eternal repetition of meditative signseternal repetition of meditative signs. .

Variation: Arc of Mourning, 1916

VariationVariation: : Snow, c.1916Snow, c.1916 VariationVariation: : Spring Evening, 1916Spring Evening, 1916

Jawlensky said, Jawlensky said, ""Klee did not approve ofKlee did not approve of. . .. . .my picturesmy pictures. . . .. . . .he said they are he said they are too intellectual, too thought outtoo intellectual, too thought out. . I think all of that is wrongI think all of that is wrong".".

In a letter he wrote to Galka Scheyer in 1919, thought :In a letter he wrote to Galka Scheyer in 1919, thought :

VariationVariation: : Village, 1914-191 5 Village, 1914-191 5

Jawlensky’s life work contained Jawlensky’s life work contained only three themesonly three themes: : still lifes, still lifes, landscapes, and portraitslandscapes, and portraits. . Convinced that the visual Convinced that the visual

representation of inner representation of inner experiences is the goal of the experiences is the goal of the arts, he consistently sought a arts, he consistently sought a

synthesis between the external synthesis between the external world and the experience of the world and the experience of the

inner world of the artistinner world of the artist. . Painting Painting in strong colors, he abbreviated in strong colors, he abbreviated

the natural forms until his the natural forms until his landscapes became colorful landscapes became colorful

visions and his still lifes visions and his still lifes manifestations of serene spacesmanifestations of serene spaces. .

VariationVariation: : Summer Blessing, 1916Summer Blessing, 1916

During his time in Switzerland he During his time in Switzerland he

painted a series of abstracted painted a series of abstracted

landscapes which he called landscapes which he called

“Songs without words,” indicating “Songs without words,” indicating

that not an objective reproduction that not an objective reproduction

of natural vision but an invocation of natural vision but an invocation

of feelings created by the natural of feelings created by the natural

settings was intendedsettings was intended. . Having Having

studied the works of Van Gogh and studied the works of Van Gogh and

Matisse, Gauguin and Cezanne and Matisse, Gauguin and Cezanne and

familiar with the works of the familiar with the works of the

symbolist painters as well as with symbolist painters as well as with

Cubism and Fauvism, Jawlensky Cubism and Fauvism, Jawlensky

created his own forms, which were created his own forms, which were

strongstrong--colored expressions of his colored expressions of his

emotions and of his spiritual emotions and of his spiritual

strivings and convictionsstrivings and convictions..

Variation on a Landscapemotif 1916Variation on a Landscapemotif 1916

19161916

SHOKKO IN WIDESHOKKO IN WIDE--BRIMMED HATBRIMMED HAT

Mystical HeadMystical Head: : Galka, 1917Galka, 1917

Mystical Head Mystical Head --Head of a GirlHead of a Girl

1917 1917

Mystical HeadMystical Head: : Head of an Angel, Head of an Angel,

1917-19181917-1918

The compositional oval sweeps The compositional oval sweeps of the landscape of the landscape ""Variations,Variations," " and their flat, broad color areas and their flat, broad color areas are still evident in Jawlensky's are still evident in Jawlensky's series of female headsseries of female heads. . This This work, probably a portrait of work, probably a portrait of Scheyer, is inscribed on the Scheyer, is inscribed on the reversereverse: ": "To love means to live To love means to live the life of him whom one lovesthe life of him whom one loves. . AA. . JJ.". .". The pose of the head, The pose of the head, however, and the prominent however, and the prominent eyes, brow, and line of the nose, eyes, brow, and line of the nose, as well as the richness of the as well as the richness of the surface, are all reminiscent of the surface, are all reminiscent of the religious imagery of the artist's religious imagery of the artist's Russian youthRussian youth..

Mystical HeadMystical Head: : The Poison Blossom, 1918The Poison Blossom, 1918

On the reverse of this On the reverse of this painting, Jawlensky has painting, Jawlensky has

inscribedinscribed: ": "If the light in you If the light in you is extinguished, then a dark is extinguished, then a dark shadow of your own heart shadow of your own heart

falls across your pathfalls across your path. . Be on Be on guard against these terrible guard against these terrible shadowsshadows. . No light of your No light of your

understanding can destroy understanding can destroy the darknesses which flow the darknesses which flow

out of your soul until all selfout of your soul until all self--loving thoughts have been loving thoughts have been

driven outdriven out."."

Portrait of Galka Scheyer, 1919-1921Portrait of Galka Scheyer, 1919-1921

In 1921 Jawlensky had moved In 1921 Jawlensky had moved to Wiesbaden in Germany and, to Wiesbaden in Germany and,

his friendship with Werefkin his friendship with Werefkin broken, had married Helen broken, had married Helen

Nesnakomoff in 1922Nesnakomoff in 1922. . In 1929 In 1929 he began to suffer from he began to suffer from

arthritis which forced him to arthritis which forced him to paint with both hands since he paint with both hands since he could no longer hold a brush; could no longer hold a brush; he was unable to paint at all he was unable to paint at all

after 1937after 1937. . His art was declared His art was declared “degenerate” by the Nazis in “degenerate” by the Nazis in

1937 and 72 of his works were 1937 and 72 of his works were confiscated from collections of confiscated from collections of German museumsGerman museums. . Jawlensky Jawlensky

died on March 15, 1941died on March 15, 1941.. SelfSelf--Caricature in ProfileCaricature in Profile

with Hat, 1920-1921with Hat, 1920-1921

SelfSelf--Caricature, with Triangle NoseCaricature, with Triangle Nose

Standing in Rain, 1920-1921 Standing in Rain, 1920-1921

Weiblicher Kopf mit offenen AugenWeiblicher Kopf mit offenen Augen19201920

Savior's FaceSavior's Face: : Winter, 1921Winter, 1921

Inclined Head with Closed Eyes Inclined Head with Closed Eyes circa 1922 circa 1922

Abstract HeadAbstract Head: : Life and DeathLife and Death

19231923

Many writers have noted Many writers have noted Jawlensky's progressively religious Jawlensky's progressively religious concentration upon the human face concentration upon the human face during the last twenty years of his during the last twenty years of his lifelife. . He expressed this spiritualized He expressed this spiritualized conception of humanity in a letter conception of humanity in a letter written in June 1938written in June 1938: ": "I knew that I knew that

great art should only be painted with great art should only be painted with religious feelingreligious feeling. . And that was And that was

something I could bring only to the something I could bring only to the human facehuman face. . I realized that the artist I realized that the artist must expressmust express......that within him which that within him which is divineis divine. . That is why the work of art That is why the work of art

is a visible God, and why art is 'a is a visible God, and why art is 'a longing for Godlonging for God..''""

As Jawlensky explored the human face during the 1920s, he reduced it As Jawlensky explored the human face during the 1920s, he reduced it to simple geometrical patternsto simple geometrical patterns. . He further confined the space so that the He further confined the space so that the boundaries did not move beyond the eyebrows, chin, and earsboundaries did not move beyond the eyebrows, chin, and ears. . His form His form

for these for these ""Constructivist HeadsConstructivist Heads" " was based on geometric planes was based on geometric planes disposed around the vertical axis of the nose, the horizontal of the eyes, disposed around the vertical axis of the nose, the horizontal of the eyes,

and the complimentary arches of the eyebrows and chinand the complimentary arches of the eyebrows and chin..

Abstract HeadAbstract Head: : Winter Ringing, 1927 Winter Ringing, 1927

""The artist expresses only what he has within himself,The artist expresses only what he has within himself,

not what he sees with his eyesnot what he sees with his eyes""

Abstract Head, c. 1928 Abstract Head, c. 1928

AlexeiAlexei JawlenskyJawlensky: : LoveLove

Alexej von JawlenskyAlexej von Jawlensky Testa astratta 1929 Testa astratta 1929

Meditation, 1935Meditation, 1935

Large Meditation NoLarge Meditation No. . 10, 193610, 1936

ResourcesResources::

http://www.nortonsimon.org/collections/browse_artist.php?name

=Jawlensky%2C+Alexei

http://www.writedesignonline.com/history-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexej_von_Jawlenskyhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexej_von_Jawlensky

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleks%C3%A9i_von_Jawlenskyhttp://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aleks%C3%A9i_von_Jawlensky

cultureculture//JawlenskyJawlensky//overviewoverview..htmhtm

httphttp://://wwwwww..nortonsimonnortonsimon..orgorg//

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Blaue_Reiterhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Der_Blaue_Reiter

httphttp://://hehe..wikipedia wikipedia - - הפרש הכחולהפרש הכחול

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