Hélène 1911

Alexej von Jawlensky painted this intense portrait, Hélène, using oil on board. I love the way he’s built this image from many layers of brushstrokes. You can see the history of his decision-making, marks that construct and deconstruct Hélène’s face simultaneously. Her skin is almost luminous, built from yellows and greens, which makes the heavy dark blue of her clothes so striking. I wonder what Jawlensky felt as he was making this painting, patiently building the layers of colour. What does it mean to really look at someone and try to capture their essence? The weight of her gaze and her bowed head makes me think about the intensity of human relationships – the things that are said, and unsaid. It reminds me of other figurative painters like Paula Modersohn-Becker, who were equally invested in a radical approach to portraiture. Like many artists, they were in dialogue, both with each other and with their subjects. The paintings feel unresolved, open, and full of potential.