Poster for the Exhibition at the Temple of Theseus in Vienna, 1923

In the spring of 1923, the Austrian sculptor Anton Hanak (1875–1934) held his first extensive solo exhibition at the Temple of Theseus in Vienna’s Volksgarten. The show was initiated by the Society for the Promotion of Modern Art in Vienna, an association which aimed for a figure by the sculptor to be displayed in the public space. Hanak presented his larger than life-sized Last Man (Ecce Homo) in front of the temple’s entrance, in the open air, and opted for his sculpture The Burning Man, which was already cast in bronze, to be displayed inside. The poster for the exhibition shows a striding male nude with sweeping gestures. At the time, Hanak’s main artistic concern was the exploration of male nudes in motion, resulting from emotions and conflicts. This study led to his figure The Turning Point, in which a twist of the body became a central motif of change.

AK, 2023