Mystical Head 1917

Curator: Alexej von Jawlensky painted "Mystical Head" in 1917. The artist, a key figure in German Expressionism, was deeply engaged with ideas about spirituality during this period, heavily influencing the paintings in this series. Editor: It’s intense, isn’t it? The thick oil paint gives such a strong, almost mask-like quality to the face. It’s less about capturing likeness and more about conveying an inner state. The colors, while not realistic, feel emotionally resonant. Curator: Absolutely. This painting emerged from a period when Jawlensky, impacted by the First World War and personal turmoil, sought refuge and meaning in the spiritual. You can see the influence of Russian Orthodox icons in the stylized features and the almost meditative expression. The war was hellish, but, paradoxically, was one of the major impetuses of his exploration of mystical portraiture. Editor: Yes, those striking, dark eyes really draw you in. They’re simplified but so expressive. And look how he uses those broad strokes of color, like blues and purples, to define the planes of the face, almost Cubist but far more emotionally charged. It feels so immediate and raw. Curator: Consider also that Jawlensky saw the "head" as a universal form. He was aiming for a deeper connection between the viewer and the artwork, aspiring for something transcendent, something beyond the surface. Editor: That explains why there is not even a smile to humanize the face; only geometric patches of somber shades of blue and red. The geometric composition has a very hypnotic character. I can almost feel the painting radiating. Curator: Precisely. He believed art could be a path to spiritual understanding. I think this is precisely what gives the work a universal and long lasting emotional appeal, even today. Editor: I agree; those colors, so boldly applied, resonate even a century later, inviting us to consider not just who we are, but what lies beneath. Curator: Indeed. Jawlensky’s "Mystical Head" challenges us to contemplate the intangible and spiritual dimensions of human experience in times of distress.