Red Blossom 1910

Alexej von Jawlensky made ‘Red Blossom’ with oil paint, but the date is unknown. Jawlensky's handling of paint here is so direct. You can see how he's applied these potent colours with real conviction, not fussing too much about blending. The surface has this great, slightly rough texture – you can almost feel the bristles of the brush. See how the vivid reds of the background clash and vibrate against the cooler blues and greens of the figure. The way he models the face with these slabs of color, particularly around the cheeks and nose, gives it such a sculptural presence. There's something really compelling about the red blossom itself – it's not just a decorative element, but feels like a charged, symbolic form. It’s reminiscent of Matisse’s portraits, or perhaps even some of the bolder Fauvist painters. It reminds us that art is always a conversation, a dialogue between artists across time and space.