Head c. 1912 - 1913

Alexej von Jawlensky made this painting, ‘Head,’ with oil on board, and its directness really grabs me. It’s like he’s not trying to hide anything about his process. The texture is super present; you can see how the brushstrokes build up the face and hair. The color palette is pretty limited: reds, greens, blues, and blacks. But it’s how he puts them together, right? Like the red in the cheek that isn’t just red but has these subtle shifts, it makes you think about the actual form of the face. Look at the line defining the nose. It’s so bold, almost cartoonish, and yet it works! It gives the whole piece this raw emotional punch. I think of someone like Marsden Hartley, another painter who wasn't afraid to simplify and amplify. Both artists remind us that painting is not just about representation; it's about feeling and seeing in a new way. It is alive and ambiguous.