Gelbe Magnolie 1930

Christian Rohlfs made this painting of a Yellow Magnolia with watercolour, and it looks like some kind of pastel or crayon too, maybe. I love how Rohlfs lays down these very direct marks, almost like he's drawing with the paint. Look closely, and you’ll see how the colours aren't blended but sit side by side, creating this vibrant, almost electric feel. The texture is so present. I can almost feel the chalky grain of the crayon, or the way the watercolour bleeds into the paper. It's like he’s showing you the raw material, the physicality of the medium itself. Notice around the edges, there are these streaks of white, kind of like the afterimage you get when you stare at something bright. Rohlfs plays with perception and memory, reminding me a little of Kandinsky, but maybe a little more down to earth. It feels like he really cared about painting!