Artwork
Still Life with Begonia
Still Life with Begonia is an oil painting by Alexej von Jawlensky. It dates from 1911 and is held in the collection of the Hamburger Kunsthalle.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1911, *Still Life with Begonia* is an oil painting by Alexej von Jawlensky. The work belongs to the still‑life tradition and is part of the collection of the Hamburger Kunsthalle in Hamburg, Germany.
Subject & Meaning
The composition centers on a potted plant, likely a begonia, whose orange blossoms and deep‑green foliage contrast with a blue backdrop. Nearby, a blue bowl holds a grouping of apples and other fruit, arranged on a simple surface, suggesting a quiet domestic scene enlivened by vivid colour.
Technique & Style
Jawlensky applies broad, gestural brushwork and a saturated palette, characteristic of his expressionist approach. The bold hues and fluid strokes generate a sense of movement, giving the ordinary objects a lively, almost pulsating presence within the flat pictorial space.
History & Provenance
A Russian-born painter who spent most of his career in Germany, Jawlensky was linked to the New Munich Artist’s Association, the Der Blaue Reiter group, and later the Die Blaue Vier. *Still Life with Begonia* entered the Hamburger Kunsthalle’s holdings, where it remains on view.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Alexej Georgewitsch von Jawlensky (Russian: Алексе́й Гео́ргиевич Явле́нский, romanized: Alekséy Geórgiyevich Yavlénskiy; 13 March 1864 – 15 March 1941), surname also spelt as Yavlensky, was a Russian expressionist painter active in Germany.
