It’s been a while since Austria hosted a significant Richard Gerstl exhibition. The Leopold Museum remedies the situation with a major display of his works, focusing on his relationship to those who painted before, alongside and after him.
- Comprehensive exhibition of Gerstl’s paintings together with other works that contextualise his influence and influences
- Exhibition runs from Sep 27, 2019 to Jan 20, 2020
- See also:
- Leopold Museum visitor & ticket info
- Current art exhibitions in Vienna
Richard Gerstl: Inspiration – Legacy
Richard Gerstl (1883-1908) was another creative genius who burned brightly during Vienna modernism: an era of art that’s almost as famous as the city’s imperial past.
Not that they appreciated it at the time.
It was only long after his death that Gerstl’s portraits and work as a forerunner of Austrian expressionism came to be properly appreciated. Only a few dozen works by Gerstl exist, not least because he set fire to many of the others.
In the 2019/2020 Gerstl exhibition at the Leopold Museum, there’s a chance to see many of the artist’s long-hidden gems. But the curators, Diethard Leopold and Hans-Peter Wipplinger, do much more than simply present his works in a deserving light.
The exhibition explores Gerstl’s likely role models, his relationship with his peers, and his lasting influence on today’s creators, such as the US artist, Paul McCarthy. That latter point finds expression through the integration of relevant modern works into the presentation.
Perhaps ironically, McCarthy’s work once graced the walls of the Secession building in Vienna, former home to the same-named collection of artists whose style Gerstl rejected as he forged new stylistic pathways.
Once you’re done with the exhibition, be sure to check out what else is going on at the Leopold Museum.
The permanent Vienna 1900 exhibition, for example, also features Gerstl’s works and covers the creative entirety of that raucous, dynamic period of Vienna modernism around the turn of the century. It’s where a lot of art by Klimt and Schiele lives.
Dates, tickets & tips
The Gerstl exhibition runs from Friday, September 27th, 2019 to Monday, January 20th, 2020.
No special ticket is required, just a normal entrance ticket to the museum (or a sightseeing pass).
How to get to the Gerstl exhibition
The Leopold Museum is in the main courtyard of the Museumsquartier complex, on the left and up the wide steps after you pass in through the main entrance. See the main article for travel tips.
Address: Museumsplatz 1, 1070 Vienna | Website