Mystical head, Three-quarter profile 1917

Alexej von Jawlensky created this "Mystical Head, Three-quarter profile," with oil paint, at a time when abstraction was challenging traditional modes of portraiture. Jawlensky was part of a community of expressionist artists in Germany who were interested in spirituality. The Russian Orthodox tradition, in which icons present the faces of saints, was a strong influence. But why create these images? What social function did they serve? Looking back, we might examine the influence of Theosophy, a mystical movement that attracted many artists who sought an alternative to the materialist culture of Europe. The ‘mystical’ quality of the painting also resonated with the wider expressionist movement, in which artists explored emotion. These paintings allowed Jawlensky to express not only his own inner life but also the spiritual longings of an era marked by great social upheaval and war. To fully understand works such as this, it’s crucial to place them within their historical context, researching the cultural trends and philosophies that shaped both the artist and his audience.