Sonnenuntergang, Borkum 1928

Alexej von Jawlensky made this sunset scene, called Sonnenuntergang, Borkum, with paint, probably oil on canvas. There’s a directness to his brushstrokes that feels really good. This isn't a painting that's trying to hide how it was made; you can see the hand of the artist right there in the dab of paint. Look at the way he’s swirled the brush in the sky, mixing pinks and purples like colors melting into each other. There's something almost Fauvist about that big, black cloud that dominates the scene. It’s not just a cloud; it’s like a big, blobby question mark. The paint is thick and juicy, almost like frosting. The way the colors bounce off each other creates a vibrant energy. Jawlensky reminds me a bit of Marsden Hartley, both painters interested in simplifying form to get to the essence of a scene. It is always the case that art is an exchange of ideas over time.