Wien: Rings vom 12 November by Max Pollak

Wien: Rings vom 12 November by Max Pollak

Wien: Rings vom 12 November

Max Pollak

Title

Wien: Rings vom 12 November

 
Artist

Max Pollak

  1886 - 1970 (biography)
Year
1916  
Technique
ething and color aquatint 
Image Size
21 1/2 x 18 3/4" platemark 
Signature
pencil, lower right 
Edition Size
not stated 
Annotations
pencil titled, lower left; red Friedl Pollak collection stamp, lower left sheet corner 
Reference
Triton catalog, no. 4 
Paper
cream wove 
State
published 
Publisher
artist 
Inventory ID
22811 
Price
SOLD
Description

An example of his early use of color aquatint by Czech-born printmaker Max Pollak, who went on to use the technique almost exclusively. "Wien..." adds color aquatint, some printed a la poupée, to his large intaglio, done in 1916, titled in 1918.

A wintery view of a portion of the Ringstrasse, or "Ring Road", a broad avenue that circles the inner district of Vienna. Depicted is the parliament building with a statue of the goddess Athena in front, the silhouette of St. Stephen's Cathedral in the background. The sky is overcast in a blue gray light and the streets glow from rain. The only other color is in the flags and streetcars.

On November 12, 1918 Austria shed the 600 years of Habsburg rule and declared itself the "First Austrian Republic." This event, which was announced on a ramp in front of the parliament building, ended the monarchy in Austria. Though Pollak created this print in 1916 it appears that he retitled it in 1918 to commemorate this historic event.