17130 („Die Sonne, die das Gute schafft …“) 1932

John Elsas made this painting, sometime around 1932, perhaps using watercolor and collage. It's got this figure craning their neck to look up at the sun, which is like, classic human behavior, right? But what I love is how Elsas puts it all together. The figure is all these patchwork colors, like they’re made of light and shadow, and they’re striking a pose, like a performer, or a kid basking in the sun for the first time in Spring. The palette makes me think of Klee. The sun itself is this jagged starburst shape, like a kid's drawing, but more severe. The color palette is so gentle, but then there’s an intense energy to it. Elsas is really into the way we construct our worlds through simple shapes and flat planes of color. I bet he loved making this, embracing the naivety of folk art. It's a great reminder that painting doesn’t have to be perfect to be powerful.