Mystischer Kopf: Frauenkopf auf blauem Grund 1917

Alexej von Jawlensky made this "Mystischer Kopf: Frauenkopf auf blauem Grund" with oil paint, and what strikes me is how he’s building the face not so much with realistic colors but with emotional ones. Check out the cheek, it’s a daub of hot pink, not quite where a natural blush would be, but it sure gives a jolt of feeling. Then there’s that line of deep red for the nose, so direct, so declarative. He’s not trying to trick us into seeing a real face; instead, he’s laying down what it feels like to see a face, all the attention and intensity we bring to it. The paint looks pretty thin, brushed on in simple strokes, almost like watercolor, which gives the whole thing a kind of dreamy, floating quality. It reminds me of other artists like Marsden Hartley, who weren't afraid to let their feelings splash right onto the canvas. Art's not about answers, it's more like a conversation that keeps going.