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Title: He and She (Alexej von Jawlensky, 1912)

Inventory number: K-126
Dimensions/medium: 66 × 42 cm, oil on cardboard

Characteristics: signed on the front, lower left, "A. Jawlensky"; signed, dated, and titled on the back "A. v. Jawlensky 1912; He and She 1912"

Das expressionistische Gemälde zeigt zwei stilisierte Porträts: Im Vordergrund ist ein männliches Gesicht mit stark betonten schwarzen Augen, roten und rosafarbenen Wangen sowie grün-blauen und gelben Farbflächen zu sehen. Die Konturen des Gesichts sind dick und schwarz umrissen. Der Blick ist ernst und geradeaus gerichtet. Auf dem Kopf trägt die Figur eine Kappe mit einer gelben Blume an der Seite. Im Hintergrund ist ein zweites Gesicht – vermutlich eine Frau – in einem rechteckigen Rahmen dargestellt, als sähe man ein Bild im Bild oder eine Spiegelung. Auch ihr Gesicht ist flächig und expressiv mit kräftigen Farben gemalt: rosa, orange, grün und blau dominieren. Beide Figuren haben große mandelförmige Augen mit dunklen Umrandungen. Der Hintergrund ist farbintensiv und lebendig – mit Pinselstrichen in Blau, Violett und Goldocker. Die Malweise ist energisch, mit sichtbaren Pinselzügen und kontrastreichen Farbflächen. Die Darstellung wirkt bewusst unnatürlich, symbolisch und emotional aufgeladen – typisch für den Expressionismus um 1912.

Alexej von Jawlensky, Er und Sie, 1912 © Heidi Horten Collection

Human faces are Alexej von Jawlensky’s specialty. In this painting, the Russian-born artist depicts two of them: in the foreground, that of a man; behind him, as a picture within a picture, that of a woman. “He” is the artist himself; “she” is Marianne von Werefkin, Jawlensky’s partner. Intense colors—sometimes densely applied, sometimes loosely interwoven—leap out from the work. Following the example of folk stained glass, the painter simplifies forms and frames the faces with striking black outlines. The result is a striking example of the Blue Rider’s expressive style. The fact that Jawlensky places himself prominently in the foreground is symptomatic of the couple’s relationship. Werefkin also paints and is even regarded in her homeland as the “Russian Rembrandt.” Yet she is caught up in the misconception that only men can produce true art. She therefore gives up her own painting for ten years to support Jawlensky’s career. (SW)

Summary of Provenance

The painting He and She, created by Alexej Jawlensky in 1912, remained in the artist’s possession from the time of its creation until March 1941 and was later part of his estate. After Jawlensky’s death, the painting passed to his widow, Helene Jawlensky, and following her death in 1965, it was inherited by their son, Andreas Jawlensky (1902–1984), of Locarno, Switzerland. Andreas Jawlensky sold the painting in 1971 to the Leonard Hutton Galleries in New York, where it was exhibited as part of the “German Expressionists” exhibition from November 1972 to February 1973. On August 20, 1998, Galerie de Pury & Luxembourg Art in Geneva, Switzerland, successfully offered the painting—from a private European collection—for sale to Heidi Horten.

 

PROVENANCE

March 1941 Alexej von Jawlensky
From March 1941The artist’s estate / Helene Jawlensky
Since March 1965Andreas Jawlensky, Locarno, Switzerland
1971Hutton Galleries, New York, acquired from Andreas Jawlensky, Locarno, Switzerland
[…]European private collection
August 1998 De Pury & Luxembourg Art, Geneva, Switzerland
August 20, 1998Heidi Horten, acquired from De Pury & Luxembourg Art
2022HGH Endowment Foundation

 

LITERATURE/ARCHIVES

Kleeman Gallery (ed.), Jawlensky, exhibition catalog, New York 1956, no. 11
Clemens Weiler, Alexej Jawlensky, Cologne 1959, no. 133, p. 236
Kunstmuseum Winterthur (ed.), Der Blaue Reiter und sein Kreis, exhibition catalog, Apr. 23–June 11, 1961, no. 96
Pasadena Art Museum (ed.), Alexej Jawlensky: A Centennial Exhibition, exhibition catalog, Pasadena Art Museum, April 14–May 19, 1964, no. 36, p. 32
Leonard Hutton Galleries (ed.), Russian Avant-Garde 1908–1922, exhibition catalog, Leonard Hutton Galleries, New York, Oct. 16–Dec. 18, 1971, no. 42, p. 98
Leonard Hutton Galleries (ed.), German Expressionists, exhibition catalog, Leonard Hutton Galleries, New York, November 1972–February 1973, no. 24, p. 42
Allentown Art Museum (ed.), The Blue Four and German Expressionism, exhibition catalog, Allentown Art Museum, Allentown, March 10–April 21, 1974, no. 18, p. 10
Maria Jawlensky, Lucia Pieroni-Jawlensky, Angelica Jawlensky, Alexej von Jawlensky. Catalogue Raisonné of the Oil Paintings, Vol. I (1890–1914), London 1991, no. 472, pp. 364–365
Clemens Weiler, Alexej Jawlensky: Heads, Faces, Meditations, Hanau 1970, No. 120