Alexej von Jawlensky

Alexej von Jawlensky (1864-1941) was a Russian expressionist painter who was a key member of the early 20th-century German avant-garde. He was born in Torzhok, Russia, and began his artistic training at the Academy of Fine Arts in St. Petersburg. In 1896, he moved to Munich, where he studied under Anton Ažbe and later joined the group of artists known as the Neue Künstlervereinigung München (New Artists' Association of Munich). Jawlensky's early work was influenced by the Fauvist movement, and he was particularly inspired by the bold use of color and expressive brushwork of Henri Matisse. 

In 1909, Jawlensky met Wassily Kandinsky and Gabriele Münter, and together they formed the influential group Der Blaue Reiter (The Blue Rider), which sought to express spiritual truths through abstract art. Jawlensky's work from this period is characterized by vibrant colors, simplified forms, and a focus on the emotional impact of the artwork. One of his most famous series from this time is the Meditations, which consists of abstracted, mask-like faces that reflect his interest in spirituality and the human soul.

During World War I, Jawlensky was forced to leave Germany and returned to Russia. However, he found the artistic climate there unsatisfactory and moved to Switzerland in 1918. He continued to develop his style, moving towards greater abstraction and a more restricted color palette. In the 1930s, Jawlensky's health deteriorated, and he was diagnosed with arthritis, which severely limited his ability to paint. Despite this, he continued to work, creating a series of small, abstract compositions that he called Variations.

Jawlensky's work was banned by the Nazis as "degenerate art," and he was prohibited from exhibiting. However, his art has since been recognized for its significant contribution to the development of expressionism and abstract painting. His works are held in numerous collections worldwide, including the Museum of Modern Art in New York and the State Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.