16Sulamithen

The oil painting ”Sulamithen”, painted at the end of the war, also counts among the works of Jeanne Mammen‘s sculpture phase. These works are characterized by warm colors applied impasto and figurative elements. It is evident that the artist had been working for a few years in spatial media, which she was now transporting onto the canvas to produce an impression of three dimensions. In contrast to the ”Krankes Kind”, here Mammen is presenting a positive scene. Sulamith is a female name of Hebrew origin which means ”the peaceful”. The subtitle of the painting, ”Tanzende Türkinnen” (Turkish women dancing) represents the theme of movement. Two dancers are in motion against a pink, blurry background. The figures are portrayed in yellow, orange and light earth tones. Between them is a light blue oval, like a cone of light which almost completely encompasses them. The dancers have no faces. Each is marked by two vertical black lines which turn to the right at the top, hinting at their backs and heads. The figures stand upright with their arms raised; their legs are slightly bent, suggesting dance movements. The painting seems to express a dance of joy to mark the end of the war, expressed in the warm colors, the organic curves, the titles of the painting and its date.