Blaues Pferd 1915

Alexej von Jawlensky made "Blaues Pferd" with watercolor and pencil, a medium known for its fluid and unpredictable nature. I can just imagine Jawlensky coaxing these watery blues and earthy tones across the page. Look at how the horse emerges almost dreamlike, a symbol rather than a literal depiction. What was it like to stand there with this blue pigment in his brush, bringing this impossible creature into being? How does the immaterial blue describe the material of a horse? It reminds me of Franz Marc’s blue horses, and I can see Jawlensky in conversation with other painters. There's an exchange of ideas across time. Painting is an ongoing act of call and response.