#15123 Pavel Filonov (1883-1941)

The painting presents a fragmented portrait, constructed from angular planes and a restricted palette dominated by shades of red, orange, brown, and blue. The subject appears to be a human head, though its features are abstracted and rearranged, defying conventional representation. A central eye stares directly forward, conveying an intensity that is amplified by the surrounding deconstruction.
The artist has broken down the face into geometric components, reassembling them in a manner that suggests both distortion and reconstruction. The planes overlap and intersect, creating a sense of depth and dynamism while simultaneously flattening the image surface. This fracturing contributes to a feeling of psychological complexity or inner turmoil. The mouth is rendered as a series of sharp angles, hinting at suppressed expression or perhaps an inability to articulate.
The background consists of similar geometric forms, echoing the fragmentation of the face itself. Theres no clear spatial depth; instead, the entire composition exists within a compressed field. This lack of perspective reinforces the sense that the work is not intended as a realistic depiction but rather as an exploration of form and emotion.
Subtly, there’s a suggestion of mask-like quality to the portrait. The rigid geometry and flattened planes evoke the appearance of a ceremonial object or a stylized representation of identity. This could imply themes of societal roles, hidden selves, or the constructed nature of personality. The color choices – the fiery reds and oranges juxtaposed with cool blues – might symbolize conflicting emotions or internal struggles. Overall, the painting conveys a sense of unease and psychological intensity through its deliberate disruption of traditional portraiture conventions.