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The Face of Woman. From the Series of Lithographs Columbus Bound, 1913
The Face of Woman. From the Series of Lithographs Columbus Bound
1913
Lithograph on paper
49.7×39.6 cm
Artists
- Oskar Kokoschka
(Pöchlarn 1886–1980 Montreux)
Unfortunately not on display at the moment
Initially intended as a sequel to his 1908 fairy tale for young readers The Dreaming Boys, Oskar Kokoschka’s (1886–1980) series of lithographs Columbus Bound developed into an autonomous work. After it had been published under the title The White Animal Slayer in the magazine Die Fackel, Kokoschka suggested the release of a reworked and renamed version to the Berlin-based publisher Fritz Gurlitt (1854–1893). Like O Eternity, Thou Word of Thunder and The Chinese Wall, this series of graphic works is an expression of Kokoschka’s obsession with and love for Alma Mahler (1879–1964). Created in 1913, the twelve lithographs show the artist as Christopher Columbus who follows his lover – depicted here with Mahler’s features – on a path that leads to his own destruction. Kokoschka again explored the seething conflict between the sexes, which he had already discussed in his drama Murderer, Hope of Women, and infused his compositions with personal memories of his relationship with Mahler. The illustrations have nothing to do with the historical figure of Christopher Columbus (1451–1506). Rather, the title alludes to the movie The Arrival of Columbus, which Kokoschka had watched together with Mahler in the summer of 1912.
Object data
- Artist/author
- Oskar Kokoschka
- Title
- The Face of Woman. From the Series of Lithographs Columbus Bound
- Date
- 1913
- Art movement
- Expressionism
- Category
- Graphic work
- Material/technique
- Lithograph on paper
- Dimensions
- 49.7×39.6 cm
- Credit line
- Leopold Museum, Vienna, Inv. 7158
- Inventory access
- Accession 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).
- Kokoschka. Das Ich im Brennpunkt, hrsg. von Tobias G. Natter/Franz Smola, Wien 2013 (Ausst. Kat. Leopold Museum, Wien, 04.10.2013–27.01.2014).
- 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: 43
- Keywords
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