Still Life with a Purple Bowl 1912

Alexej von Jawlensky made "Still Life with a Purple Bowl" with oil paint. The colours are put down like a series of thoughts, a kind of visual notation. Look at how the paint is laid on, thick and juicy, especially in that purple bowl. It's not just a bowl; it's a swirl of colour, a little universe all its own. There is this beautiful gold outline all around the objects in the painting, it creates a shimmer that separates objects from the background while simultaneously connecting them all. The brushstrokes are visible, almost like little sculptures of paint. They give the whole composition a lively, energetic feel. I'm reminded of Emil Nolde, another expressionist painter who wasn't afraid to let the paint speak for itself. Ultimately, this painting is all about embracing the unpredictable, letting the materials lead the way, and finding beauty in the unexpected.