jawlensky schokko 1910 Alexej Jawlensky (1864-1941)

The composition presents a frontal portrait of a woman, sharply cropped at the shoulders. She is positioned against a flat, intensely red background that dominates the visual field and contributes significantly to the overall emotional intensity. The artist has rendered her face with simplified features; the eyes are large and dark, conveying a sense of introspection or perhaps melancholy, while the mouth is reduced to a thin line, devoid of overt expression.
The woman’s attire is equally stylized. She wears a wide-brimmed hat, predominantly blue with a red band around its edge, adorned with clusters of vibrant red floral motifs. The hats shape and color contrast sharply with her skin tone and the background, drawing immediate attention to it. A high-collared garment, also in shades of red, frames her face, punctuated by a narrow white collar and a thin, bright orange band around her neck. These details contribute to a sense of formality or perhaps even theatricality.
The application of paint is characterized by bold, unmodulated blocks of color. There’s little evidence of blending or subtle gradations; instead, the colors are applied in flat planes, creating a surface that appears almost two-dimensional. This technique emphasizes the decorative quality of the work and contributes to its expressive power.
Subtly, theres an exploration of identity through costume. The elaborate hat and formal clothing suggest a constructed persona, raising questions about authenticity and representation. The woman’s gaze, directed forward but seemingly unfocused, hints at an internal world that remains inaccessible to the viewer. The pervasive use of red – a color associated with passion, energy, and sometimes danger – imbues the portrait with a complex emotional charge. Its possible to interpret this as a depiction not merely of a person, but of a mood or a psychological state, conveyed through symbolic colors and simplified forms.