Pale Woman with Red Hair 1912

Alexej von Jawlensky made "Pale Woman with Red Hair" with thick, juicy paint, probably in the early 20th century. The process feels immediate, almost like a sketch, but one where the colour does all the talking. Look at the way Jawlensky builds up the face, dabbing greens and yellows, letting them mix optically. Then bam! A red dot for the cheek, a slash for the mouth. It’s like he's not just painting a face, but also the idea of a face, or even just the feeling of a face. I love the hair – this fiery, almost reckless red that pulls the whole image together. The brushstrokes are so alive, you can almost see him wrestling with the paint. The colours here are really reminiscent of Matisse, who also liked to use colour as a way of expressing emotion. "Pale Woman with Red Hair" shows us that a painting doesn't have to be perfect to be powerful. It's the raw energy and emotion that really sings.