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The Last Night. Illustration for the Series of Lithographs on Johann Sebastian Bach’s O Eternity, Thou Word of Thunder, 1914

Leopold Museum,
Vienna
Lithograph on paper
56.3×46.5 cm

Artists

  • Oskar Kokoschka

    (Pöchlarn 1886–1980 Montreux)

Unfortunately not on display at the moment
In an attempt to achieve closure after his failed romantic relationship with Alma Mahler (1879–1964), Oskar Kokoschka (1886–1980) created several groups of graphic works, including this series of lithographs on Johann Sebastian Bach’s (1685–1750) cantata O Ewigkeit – Du Donnerwort [O Eternity, Thou Word of Thunder]. Kokoschka created eleven illustrations for Bach’s dialogue of Fear and Hope, himself assuming the role of Hope and assigning the role of Fear to Mahler. Prompted by Fear, Hope embarks on a journey that ends in death. The depictions can be interpreted biographically, since Kokoschka repeatedly alluded to events from his past life in his works.

AS, 2023

Object data

Artist/author
  • Design: Oskar Kokoschka
Title
The Last Night. Illustration for the Series of Lithographs on Johann Sebastian Bach’s O Eternity, Thou Word of Thunder
Date
1914
Art movement
Expressionism
Category
Graphic work
Material​/technique
Lithograph on paper
Dimensions
56.3×46.5 cm
Signature
Signed lower right: OKokoschka
Credit line
Leopold Museum, Vienna Inv.Nr. 6937
Inventory access
Accession 2021 2022
Selection of Reference works
  • Wien 1900. Aufbruch in die Moderne, hrsg. von Hans-Peter Wipplinger, Wien 2019 (Ausst.-Kat. Leopold Museum, Wien, ab 15.03.2019).
  • Oskar Kokoschka. Expressionist, Migrant, Europäer, hrsg. von Cathérine Hug/Heike Eipeldauer, Heidelberg 2018 (Ausst.-Kat. Kunsthaus Zürich, 14.12.2018–10.03.2019; Leopold Museum, Wien, 06.04.2019–08.07.2019).
  • Die nackte Wahrheit. Klimt, Schiele, Kokoschka und andere Skandale, hrsg. von Tobias G. Natter/Max Hollein, München 2005 (Ausst.-Kat. Schirn Kunsthalle, Frankfurt, 28.01.2005-24.01.2005; Leopold Museum, Wien, 31.05.2005-22.08.2005).
  • Hans Maria Wingler/Friedrich Welz: Oskar Kokoschka. Das druckgraphische Werk, Salzburg 1975.
Catalogue raisonne
  • Wingler/Welz 1975: 63
Keywords
man/boywoman/girlportraitadolescent/young womansitting figure (fem.)sitting figurelow hill countrymountainstree

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Provenance

Provenance research
Leopold Museum i

Auktion: 01.03.2022, Dorotheum Linz, Bilder - Online Auktion, Los Nr. 194-026255/0027; (1)
Leopold Museum-Privatsiftung, Wien (seit 2022)

  1. Online-Katalog des Dorotheums: https://www.dorotheum.com/de/l/7531939/ (abgefragt: 20.11.2023); Archiv des Leopold Museums, Rechnung vom 01.03.2022

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Search in collection

man/boywoman/girlportraitadolescent/young womansitting figure (fem.)sitting figurelow hill countrymountainstree

2023/2024 Partial funding for digitization by the Federal Ministry for Arts, Culture, the Civil Service and Sport „Kulturerbe digital“ as part of NextGenerationEU.