Still-life with jug - Alexej von Jawlensky

A bold Expressionist still-life by Alexej von Jawlensky, featuring saturated colours and heavy contours that define a floral arrangement.

Alexej von Jawlensky, a central figure in the Munich-based Neue Künstlervereinigung and later the Blaue Reiter group, produced this still-life during a period of intense stylistic development. His work from this era reflects a departure from traditional representation, favouring the emotional capacity of colour over objective accuracy. The composition features a dark, opaque jug holding a cluster of flowers, set against a background of saturated teal and green tones. Jawlensky employs thick, deliberate brushwork to define the forms of the flowers and the table surface. The palette is intentionally non-naturalistic, using high-contrast hues to create a sense of visual tension. The pink of the table surface clashes with the deep green of the background, while the dark outline of the jug anchors the composition. This approach to colour is characteristic of his early twentieth-century output, where he sought to capture the spiritual essence of his subjects through simplified shapes and bold chromatic choices. Unlike his later, more abstract 'Meditation' series, this work retains a clear link to the physical world. The objects remain identifiable, yet they are transformed by the artist's subjective interpretation. The heavy black contours, which delineate the petals and the jug, suggest an influence from the Fauvist movement, which Jawlensky encountered during his travels to France. By flattening the pictorial space, he directs the viewer to focus on the interaction of colour planes rather than the depth of the room. This print captures the texture of the original oil paint, allowing for an appreciation of the artist's physical application of pigment and his bold approach to composition.