Sale: 479 / Classics of the 20th Century I, Dec. 08. 2018 in Munich Lot 810

 

810
Alexej von Jawlensky
Abstrakter Kopf: Erleuchtung II, 1919.
Oil on paper, with barely legible embossing "Vi...
Estimate:
€ 200,000 / $ 216,000
Sold:
€ 225,000 / $ 243,000

(incl. surcharge)
Abstrakter Kopf: Erleuchtung II. 1919.
Oil on paper, with barely legible embossing "Vidalon [..]", originally laminated on cardboard.
Jawlensky/Pieroni-Jawlensky/Jawlensky 1087. Monogrammed in lower left. With the signature, cut out in upper margin and laminated on verso, as well as dated and inscribed "Erleuchtung.II / Jawlensky Buch / S. 245 / Nr. 257" by Andreas Jawlensky, the artist's son and inscribed "Nr. 29 / A. v. Jawlensky / Heilandsgesicht." by a hand other than that of the artist. Sheet: 36.7 x 26.6 cm (14.4 x 10.4 in). Backing board: 37,2 x 27,2 cm (14,6 x 10,7 in).

PROVENANCE: Artist's estate.
Dalzell Hatfield Galleries (acquired from the estate in March 1963).
Serge Sabarsky Gallery, New York (around 1981; with a photo confirmation from August 18, 1981)
Private collection Southern Germany (acquired from aforementioned in 1981; ever since in family ownership).

EXHIBITION: Alexej von Jawlensky, Ruhmeshalle, Barmen 1922, presumably listed in the index of works on display with the title "Erleuchtung".
Freie Künstlerschaft Wiesbaden, Nassauischer Kunstverein, Wiesbaden, October 1926, presumably cat. no. 38, with the title "Erleuchtung".
Europäische Kunst der Gegenwart, Kunstverein Hamburg, Hamburg 1927, presumably cat. no. 315.
Alexej von Jawlensky, Comune di Milano, Palazzo Reale, Milan, April 8 - June 4, 1995, no. 64, illu. on p.155.
Alexej von Jawlensky in der Schweiz 1914-1921, Kunsthaus Zürich, October 26, 2000 - January 14, 2001; Fondation de l´Hermiate Lausanne, January 26 - May 13, 2001; Foundation Wilhelm Lehmbruck Museum Duisburg, June 30 - September 9, 2001, no cat. number.
Alexej von Jawlensky. Magische Bilder. Die Retrospektive, ex. cat. published by Tayfun Belgin and Angelika Jawlensky-Bianconi, Kunsthalle Krems, April 27 - September 21, 2003, illu. on p. 114.
Alexej von Jawlensky. Reisen, Freunde, Wandlungen, ex. cat. published by Tayfun Belgin, Museum am Ostwall, Dortmund, August 16 - November 15, 1998, Heidelberg 1998, p. 325 (here no. 260), illu. on p. 260.

LITERATURE: Clemens Weiler, Alexej Jawlensky, Cologne 1959, no. 257, p. 245.
Rudy Chiappini, Alexej von Jawlensky. Una pittura sensuale e vollutuosa, in: Artigianato tra arte, funzione e design, Milan 1995, no. 17, illu. on p.37.
Tayfun Belgin, Alexej von Jawlensky. Eine Künstlerbiografie, Heidelberg 1998, illu. on p. 117.
Tayfun Belgin, Alexej von Jawlensky. A biography, St. Petersburg 2000, illu. on p. 127.
Angelika Affentranger-Kirchrath, Jawlensky. Das andere Gesicht, Bern 2000, illu. on p. 190.
Angelika Jawlensky-Bianconi, Alexej von Jawlensky. Un dialogo divino, in: ex. cat. Sulle vie dell`illuminazione. Il mito dell`India nella cultura occidentale 1808 -2017, Milan 2017, no. 366, illu. on p. 341.
"Today Jawlensky's work occupies a firm position in the history of 20th Century Art. [..] Over the course of his artistic development, Jawlensky increasingly focussed on a single theme: the human face as bearer of sensation. Despite all immersion and variation of the theme, he reduced his means of expression to a minimum."
Clemens Weiler, quote from: Clemes Weiler, Köpfe-Gesichte-Meditationen, Hanau 1970, p. 9.

This "Abstrakter Kopf: Erleuchtung II" is particularly convincing for its strong composition and the human face, which is reduced to a minimum, as well as for its pronounced freshness and the colors‘ luminosity. The special balance of a composition that is solely made up of a strict linear structure and almost does without any internal structures, shows - albeit Jawlensky never leaving figurative grounds - clear parallels to the contemporary paintings of Suprematism. In addition to formal parallels, the art of Suprematism, according to its Russian protagonist Kasimir Malevich, seeks to give the pure feeling precedence over all representational aspects. Although Jawlensky remained true to representational painting throughout his entire life, he began to focus on the depiction of a wide range of human feelings in 1919, rendering the human face with a repertoire of forms reduced to a minimum. Jawlensky's "Abstrakter Kopf: Erleuchtun II" is one of the first paintings from the work series of the "Abstract Heads" (1919-1935), which would be of decisive importance for Jawlensky's entire pictorial creation, up until his later series "Meditations". In retrospect, Jawlensky himself described the artistic significance of this creative period in his memoirs as follows: "We moved to Ascona in early April 1918. The following three years in Ascona were the most interesting of my life [..] I made many Variations there and began to paint my "Savior's Faces" and "Abstract Heads." To me, these were saints' heads. Looking back at these days, now in 1937, sick and over seventy years old, my soul weeps with grief and longing." (Lebenserinnerungen, quote from: Clemens Weiler, Köpfe-Gesichte-Meditationen, Hanau 1970, p. 119.). [JS]



810
Alexej von Jawlensky
Abstrakter Kopf: Erleuchtung II, 1919.
Oil on paper, with barely legible embossing "Vi...
Estimate:
€ 200,000 / $ 216,000
Sold:
€ 225,000 / $ 243,000

(incl. surcharge)