Saviour's Face - Christ 1920

Alexej von Jawlensky made Saviour's Face with oil paint, using loose and gestural brushstrokes and a vibrant colour palette. I think he's trying to capture something beyond just a likeness. The paint here is applied in thin layers, creating a soft, almost ethereal texture. There are these bold, dark lines that define the features, but they don't feel rigid. They're more like suggestions, floating on the surface. Look at the way he's used pinks and yellows to create a sense of light and shadow on the face, that single stroke of teal for the mouth. It's not about realism, but about capturing the essence of something, maybe a spiritual presence. Jawlensky's work reminds me of another artist, Marsden Hartley, particularly his later landscapes, in how he explores form and colour to convey a sense of inner emotion. Art is all about this kind of dialogue, an ongoing exploration of how we see and experience the world.