Stilleben mit Tasse c. 1908

Alexej von Jawlensky made this still life with a cup, sometime around the start of the 20th Century, probably in oil on canvas. What strikes me is the boldness of the colours, the way the pinks and greens vibrate against each other. It’s like he’s not just painting what he sees, but what he feels about these objects. Look at the cup, how it sits there, almost glowing with a cool, pale blue. It’s a simple shape, but the way he’s daubed the paint on, it feels alive, like it’s breathing. Then, there's the deep, almost bruised colours of the fruit bowl, contrasted with the vibrant orange of the fruit beside it. It's all about the textures, the layers of paint building up to create a surface that’s rich and full of energy. Jawlensky’s use of colour reminds me of Matisse, that same love of pure, unmodulated hues, pushing the boundaries of what colour can do. It's a conversation across time, artists responding to each other, always questioning, always exploring.