Der violette Turban 1911

Alexej von Jawlensky made this striking portrait, "Der violette Turban," with oil on board. The paint has been thickly applied, with visible brushstrokes adding texture and depth to the image. This impasto technique contributes to the painting's vibrant and expressive quality. Oil paint has a long history, valued for its versatility and the richness of color it provides. Here, Jawlensky uses it to create an almost sculptural surface, where the very substance of the paint becomes part of the portrait's emotional impact. Consider how the directness of this approach—the unblended colors and bold outlines—imbues the work with a sense of immediacy. It’s as if we’re witnessing the artist's thought process as he lays down each stroke. This emphasis on the physical act of painting, the very labor of applying pigment to surface, challenges traditional notions of fine art as purely intellectual or representational. It invites us to appreciate the inherent qualities of the material, and the artist's mastery in manipulating it.