Österreich c. 1943

Karl Wiener made this painting, “Österreich,” with confident strokes of colour – a deep blue sky, greens, and a pale mountain. You can see Wiener building up the forms – the solid geometry of houses and mountains, and the way he captures that moment where the mountain touches the sky. Look closely and you’ll see the textures of the brush marks working with the paint. I imagine him, step by step, finding the right hue and the right pressure, balancing what he sees with what he knows, making tiny adjustments as he goes. There is a freshness to this piece, a clear vision. The painting has an unusual palette, the contrast is striking. It reminds me a little of Milton Avery, an American painter who also used simplified shapes to capture a feeling. It all comes together, doesn't it? A world built from colour and gesture.