Soulflowers 

Janos Mattis-Teutsch created this abstract painting called Soulflowers, the date of which is unknown, to provoke ideas about the spiritual world. The swirling forms and vibrant colors suggest a blossoming of the soul, reflecting a deep interest in spiritualism and theosophy during the early 20th century. Mattis-Teutsch lived and worked in a period of social upheaval in the Austro-Hungarian Empire and later Romania, where the search for new forms of expression was tied to a broader desire for social and spiritual renewal. Consider the swirling composition and the non-representational forms; these visual elements might be influenced by expressionist and abstract art movements, which were challenging traditional artistic conventions at the time. Historians can research the cultural and intellectual climate of early 20th-century Europe, including the influence of theosophy, expressionism, and the social context of Mattis-Teutsch's life and work to fully understand the meaning of this painting. This helps us to appreciate art not just as an aesthetic object, but as a reflection of the historical forces that shaped it.