Tuesday, March 01, 2016

Still Life with Fruit, Pot and Cup

Still Life with Fruit, Pot and Cup:


is a 1903 painting by Russian painter Alexej von Jawlensky who died in March of 1941. Wikipedia says, "From 1929 Jawlensky suffered from progressively crippling arthritis, which necessitated a reduced scale and finally forced a cessation in his painting in 1937." It must be hard to have such a talent and then to gradually lose the ability to paint. Of course, I can't imagine having that much talent to begin with, but to have it and then lose it...

The picture at the top of the post includes a cup to honor our commitment to share beverage-related posts for submission to T Tuesday (see information on that gathering at the bottom of the post), but Jawlensky is best known for a series of Mystical Heads (1917-1919) and his Saviour's Faces (1918-1920). Here's an example from the Mystical Heads series:


and one from his Saviour's Faces series:


He said he was inspired by Russian icons. from Wikiquote:
Every artist works within a tradition. I am a native of Russia. My Russian soul has always been close to the art of old Russia, the Russian icons, Byzantine art, the mosaics in Ravenna, Venice, Rome, and to Romanesque art. All these artworks produced a religious vibration in my soul, as I sensed in them a deep spiritual language. This art was my tradition. -from his letter to the National Socialist State cultural administration (to ask permission to exhibit his work, which was turned down, ed.) 1939; as quoted in Alexej von Jawlensky, Museum Boymans-van-Beuningen, Rotterdam; 25/9 – 27/11-1994, p. 24.
This is a short, 4-minute overview of a 40 work exhibition including paintings and sketches from his earlier to his later pieces:



Please join the online Tuesday link gathering where people share a drink and sometimes their own art.

It's Super Tuesday here in Tennessee, and I'm at a polling place holding a Bernie Sanders sign and handing out flyers. Who knows when I'll be back, but I'll visit when I can. In the meantime, go vote! Or, if today's not your day, discuss your political choice with someone. You might learn something.

13 comments:

  1. Jawlensky's art was very special, love it, thanks for sharing, Happy T Day, hugs, Valerie

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  2. Although I really enjoyed the still life, especially since it relates to T Tuesday, I really, really loved his Saviour's Face you shared with us. It's abstract enough for me to enjoy it, yet distinctive enough to know what I'm looking at.

    Thanks for sharing this still life and introducing me to Jawlensky, an artist I had never heard of before for T this Tuesday. Kansas caucuses next week. I'll be watching Super Tuesday results, that's for sure.

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  3. Very interesting post as I never heard of Jawlensky but he made some beautiful art. Good for you-I voted for Bernie in our NH primary a few weeks back and I hope he does well today. I am definitely watching results...at least one of the candidates is kind of SCARY, and that is being nice about him. Keeping my fingers crossed-haave a good day!

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    1. I'm finding several of the candidates scary, but I love politics!

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  4. Nice introduction to Jawlensky as I am not familiar with him. The still life is really gorgeous!
    Happy T Day!

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  5. You find us such interesting artists - I'm another who was not familiar with Jawlensky but do like the pieces I see here.

    Hope your sign holding day isn't too tiring and you have decent weather. I think this is one of the strangest elections ever.

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    1. It rained and stormed all morning, and I stood out there with an umbrella lol Not tiring, though. I loved it :)

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  6. another introduction to a new to me artist. Love those faces so I will look into more of his work. Thanks for sharing and happy T day!

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  7. You have shared another lovely bit of art with me again. Expanding my horizons.

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  8. oh wow. love that series title, mystical heads. now I need to read up on this artist-one I'm not familiar with. Thanks for the info! happy T day!

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  9. New to me. Thanks for the introduction. Always learning something here.
    Happy T-Day! :)

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  10. I have never heard of Jawlensky although the mystical head has familiar look to it! A really interesting introduction to him! Happy T Day! Chrisx

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  11. I really like this work. I have never heard of him before, but I´ll go look for more. Happy T-Day!

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