Great Meditation; Tenderness in Autumn
1936
Painted while suffering from crippling arthritis, Alexej von Jawlensky created this piece as part of his final 'Meditations' series in the 1930s. As his hands grew weaker and eventually paralyzed, he simplified his subjects into abstract, cross-like faces, using deep purples and heavy, vertical brushstrokes to convey emotion rather than physical reality. 'Tenderness in Autumn' feels like a visual prayer—a quiet, somber reflection from an artist whose body was failing but whose spirit remained fiercely creative, proving that art can flourish even in the darkest seasons.