The series of works known as the Mystical Heads (1917–1919) and the Saviour’s Faces (1918–1920) marked a pivotal transition for Alexej von Jawlensky, drawing heavily from the Russian Orthodox icons of his upbringing. This period in Switzerland followed his forced departure from Germany during the First World War, fundamentally shifting his approach to the human form.
Military and Academic Training
Born in 1864 in Torzhok, Russia, Jawlensky initially pursued a military career. His interest in visual arts solidified after visiting the 1882 All-Russia Exhibition in Moscow. While stationed in Saint Petersburg, he attended the Imperial Academy of Arts from 1889 to 1896. During this time, he became part of a circle surrounding the realist painter Ilya Repin, where he met Marianne von Werefkin. She became a significant advocate for his professional development, eventually facilitating their relocation to Munich in 1894.
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In Munich, Jawlensky enrolled at the Anton Ažbe art school. His technique evolved through contact with modern French art, including the work of Vincent van Gogh, Kees van Dongen, and the Nabis. By 1905, he reached a breakthrough, stating he had translated nature into color. He later co-founded the Neue Künstlervereinigung München alongside Wassily Kandinsky. Between 1908 and 1910, painting in the Bavarian Alps allowed him to synthesize theoretical concepts with landscape painting, leading to his increased focus on the expressive potential of color and form.
The Blue Four and Later Years
After returning to Germany in 1921, Jawlensky settled in Wiesbaden. In 1924, he established Die Blaue Vier (The Blue Four), a collective whose international visibility was bolstered by the promotional efforts of Emmy Scheyer in the United States. Following his 1922 marriage to Hélène Nesnakomoff, he continued his artistic output despite the onset of crippling arthritis in 1929. This condition forced a reduced scale of work before he ceased painting entirely in 1937. He spent his final years dictating his memoirs before his death in 1941.
Fast facts
- Born: 1864, Torzhok
- Died: 1941, Wiesbaden
- Movement: Expressionism
- Notable work: Abstract Head
- Citizenship: Russia, Germany, Soviet Union
- Education: Imperial Academy of Arts, Anton Ažbe art school
- Burial site: Russischer Friedhof auf dem Neroberg
- Group memberships: The Blue Rider, Die Blaue Vier
Questions readers ask
What was the significance of the Blue Four?
Established by Jawlensky in 1924, it was a collective whose work was promoted extensively in the United States and Germany by Emmy Scheyer.
Where can the largest collection of his work be found?
The Museum Wiesbaden holds over 90 of his works, representing the most extensive collection of his art in Europe.
Achievements
- Notable work: Abstract Head
- Movement: Expressionism
