Alexej von Jawlensky

Andreas Jawlensky, Locarno (the artist's son)
Albert Loeb, New York & Galerie Krugier, Geneva (acquired in 1963)
Annely Juda Fine Art, London
David Hughes, London
Sale: Galerie Wolfgang Ketterer, Munich, 20th May 1969, lot 635
Galerie Gunzenhauser, Munich
Sale: Hauswedell & Nolte, Hamburg, 3rd June 1977, lot 666
Purchased at the above sale by the late owner

Geneva, Galerie Krugier, Jawlensky, 1963, no. 35, illustrated in the catalogue
Strasbourg, Château des Rohan, La Grande Aventure de l'Art du XX Siècle, 1963, no. 65, illustrated in colour in the catalogue
Zurich, Galerie Obere Zäune, Jawlensky, 1964, no. 7, illustrated in the catalogue
New York, Leonard Hutton Galleries, A Centennial Exhibition of Paintings by Alexej Jawlensky, 1965, no. 41
Munich, Galerie Gunzenhauser, Jawlensky, 1971, no. 9, illustrated in the catalogue

Clemens Weiler, Alexej Jawlensky, Cologne, 1959, no. 204
Clemens Weiler, Jawlensky Heads, Faces, Meditations, London, 1971, no. 173, listed p. 123
Maria Jawlensky, Lucia Pieroni-Jawlensky & Angelica Jawlensky, Alexej von Jawlensky, Catalogue Raisonné of the Oil Paintings, London, 1992, vol. II, no. 874, illustrated p. 194

The board is stable and is laid down on the artist's panel. There is no evidence of retouching under ultra-violet light. Apart from some slight wrinkling to the lower two corners and some typical nicks and tiny losses at the extreme edges, this work is in very good condition. Colours: In comparison with the printed catalogue illustration, the colours are overall stronger, richer and less red in the original.
"This lot is offered for sale subject to Sotheby's Conditions of Business, which are available on request and printed in Sotheby's sale catalogues. The independent reports contained in this document are provided for prospective bidders' information only and without warranty by Sotheby's or the Seller."

Mystischer Kopf: Frauenkopf - gelber Mund, dating from 1917, belongs to Jawlensky’s series of variations on the theme of the 'Mystical Head'. The magical spirit of the image is enhanced by luminous colours and a finely tuned composition. Jawlensky's relentless pursuit of his artistic ideals through the series marked him out as a uniquely gifted artist working towards a truly modern vision of art. Commenting on the variety of these serial works, Clemens Weiler has written: 'Jawlensky came to concentrate more and more on the human face as the bearer of emotion. Although his work has great depth and breadth of variation, he reduced his means of expression to a minimum' (C. Weiler, op. cit., 1971, p. 9).

In its format and composition, in particular the boldly appointed eyes and profiled nose, Mystischer Kopf: Frauenkopf - gelber Mund recalls the Russian Orthodox icons which Jawlensky encountered in his youth. The artist commented on this influence and remarked: 'I am Russian-born. As such my heart and soul have always felt close to old Russian art, to Russian icons, the art of Byzantium, the mosaics of Ravenna, Venice and Rome and the art of the Romanesque period. All these arts would set up a holy vibration in my soul, for they spoke to me in a language of deep spirituality. It was this art that gave me my tradition' (quoted in ibid., p. 11).