The painting “Abstract Head” from 1929 is emblematic of a central phase in the late work of the Russian-German artist Alexej von Jawlensky, in which his artistic development from expressive figuration to spiritual abstraction becomes more concentrated. The depiction of a stylized face, reduced to a few geometric shapes and clearly structured colors, is typical of the so-called “Heads” series, which Jawlensky pursued from the 1910s until the end of his life. The works of the late 1920s, including ours, are characterized by an intense and bold formal simplification.
The head is composed in a strict formal language: the mouth and forehead are arranged on a horizontal axis—next to it, the vertical axis of the nose creates a strong contrast in the frontal heraldic U-shape that is characteristic of all “Abstract Heads”. The facial features are de-individualized, giving the portrait an almost iconic effect. The harmonious color scheme does not follow any naturalistic logic; instead, Jawlensky's expressionist background remains evident. Consequently, the colors can be interpreted primarily as an expression of inner states of mind.
Formally, the work stands between Expressionism and spiritually inspired abstraction. Alexej von Jawlensky himself, influenced by Russian Orthodox icon painting and theosophy, ultimately understood his heads in his last phase of work as ”Meditations” – as visual forms of contemplation and spiritual concentration. Thus, “Abstract Head” becomes a medium for a universal spiritual experience, beyond individual physiognomy and purely aesthetic representation. It is an image of the inner self—calm, concentrated, and timeless. [MH]