Dichterin 1917

Alexej von Jawlensky made this painting, Dichterin, using bold colours on a square canvas. The painting looks like it came into being as a kind of electric shock, the colours blazing and the dark outlines pushing against them. I imagine Jawlensky in a trance, almost possessed by the act of painting, wrestling with the image until it submits to his vision. The colours are laid on thick, especially around her eyes, each brushstroke vibrating with energy. Look at how the green snakes around the face, countered by strokes of violet. It is as if he is trying to capture not just her likeness but her spirit, her inner fire. Jawlensky’s “Dichterin” reminds me of other artists like Paula Modersohn-Becker, who were also pushing the boundaries of portraiture at the beginning of the 20th century, trying to capture something raw and true about the human condition. Artists are always in conversation with one another, building on what came before, daring to go further. It’s a beautiful thing, really.