Variation: Sonnenaufgang 1918

Alexej von Jawlensky painted this artwork, Variation: Sonnenaufgang, with oil, imbuing it with a serene yet potent visual language. The dominant symbol here is the sunrise itself, not merely as a daily event but as an emblem of renewal, hope, and the eternal cycle of life. Across cultures, the sunrise carries deep spiritual weight. We find it in ancient Egyptian art, where the sun god Ra journeys across the sky, symbolizing rebirth and divine power. Similarly, in many Eastern traditions, the rising sun represents enlightenment and the dispelling of darkness. Jawlensky’s abstraction strips away the literal depiction, focusing instead on the emotional and psychological impact of witnessing a new dawn. Consider the human psyche's primal response to light after darkness. It's a powerful, subconscious connection to hope and renewal. Just as ancient cultures revered the sun as a life-giver, we too, on a deeper level, respond to its symbolism of overcoming adversity. This cyclical progression of light, mirrored in the ever-repeating dawn, evokes a sense of timeless continuity. Jawlensky captures not just a sunrise but the enduring human experience of hope.