Half-nude figure with long hair sitting bent - Alexej von Jawlensky

An expressive portrait by Alexej von Jawlensky, featuring bold, non-naturalistic colours and simplified forms that capture a moment of quiet introspection.

Alexej von Jawlensky, a central figure in the Expressionist movement, produced this work during a period of intense stylistic development. The painting displays his characteristic approach to the human form, where anatomical accuracy is secondary to the emotional resonance of colour and brushwork. Jawlensky, having moved from Russia to Munich, became deeply involved with the Neue Künstlervereinigung München and later maintained associations with Der Blaue Reiter. His work from this era often features simplified, almost mask-like facial features and a deliberate rejection of traditional perspective. The figure is rendered with broad, confident strokes. The palette is non-naturalistic, employing jarring contrasts between the green tones of the skin and the warm, earthy reds of the background. This choice of colour serves to detach the subject from a specific time or place, pushing the viewer to focus on the psychological state of the sitter. The bent posture of the figure creates a sense of introspection, while the long, dark hair frames the face, adding a rhythmic quality to the composition. Jawlensky often returned to the theme of the human head and figure, refining his technique to achieve a synthesis of form and colour that borders on the abstract. This print captures the texture of the original oil on board, preserving the visible brushwork and the raw energy of the application. The composition is balanced through the interplay of vertical lines in the hair and the diagonal tilt of the torso. By stripping away extraneous detail, Jawlensky directs attention to the essential presence of the subject. This piece is a clear example of the artist's move toward a more subjective, internalised mode of representation, which defined his output in the years leading up to the First World War.