Head Of A Youth 1911

Curator: Oh, hello there. I am really drawn to "Head Of A Youth" by Alexej von Jawlensky, created around 1911. Jawlensky's use of impasto oil-paint practically makes the surface throb with vitality, doesn't it? What catches your eye initially? Editor: Immediately, those striking jewel tones, unapologetically applied! It’s vibrant and jarring, all at once, wouldn’t you say? There’s this raw emotionality in those bold colors; it feels like I am looking directly into his soul... somewhat turbulent, even. Curator: It is fascinating how Jawlensky distorts realistic colors for expressive effect. His involvement with the *Neue Künstlervereinigung München*, or NKVM, laid the groundwork for what would soon become German Expressionism. We begin to see Jawlensky, alongside others like Kandinsky and Marianne von Werefkin using Primitivism in search of authenticity and, let's say, spiritual revelation through pure colors and form. Editor: So you see it rooted more in this movement, but I can't shake off this feeling like it comes almost entirely from something intensely personal? It transcends just fitting a mold... Those eyes, especially; they're deep pools hinting at an inner world. It's almost as though, in painting this youth, he captured a shadow of himself as well. Don’t you feel like you're peering into Jawlensky's own past? Curator: That's interesting, but, from a contextual point, you also need to understand that artists at that time were trying to figure out how the portrait could reveal the spiritual depth of an individual while being subjected to new avant-garde, anti-academic styles, thus breaking down the societal norms about what constituted a true portrait, or a “good” portrait. Editor: Exactly! He shattered those established notions, giving birth to a fresh visual language! The geometric forms – planes of color crashing against each other–speak of inner turmoil, yet there's undeniable strength there too. Looking at the bold blues in contrast to the softer yellows of the face reminds me that Jawlensky went beyond just technique; he channeled his entire being. It really sings! Curator: Indeed. What appears to be a simple portrait resonates deeply with not only its time's experimentation but something eternally, intensely human. Editor: Absolutely. A masterclass of raw, colorful, and utterly unique expression.