Drawing

Using a quick feather, the artist sketches the grave of Vicar Joseph Mohr. In doing so on location, that being in the graveyard itself, he only uses the tip of the feather and black Indian ink. The shades of grey have been, just as with the colour, glazed on with a paint brush later on. As the Indian ink in the Thuja (in German: Lebensbäume) has blended without contours, it is certain that not a lot of time has passed between the two working phases.

The intensive red of the mesh of the wreath leads to the assumption that the picture was drawn shortly after 4th December - on this day in Wagrain, there is traditionally some commemorative singing where a wreath is laid. In doing so, the school conserves in memory the social engagement of Vicar Mohr in Wagrain who, in 1803, campaigned for the construction of a new school. For this reason, the current elementary school carries the name "Joseph Mohr Schule".

The drawing is signed in the bottom right-hand corner with E.H, meaning that it originates from the hands of Ernst Huber. This is very plausible because his drawn and painted postcards, that are of a similar style, are frequently signed with E.H. - such as those to Karl Heinrich Waggerl that are in collection of the Waggerl Museum today. The Vienna Secession artist Ernst Huber, who was also a member of the Zinkenbacher Malerkolonie ("The Art Colony of Zinkenbach"), even owned a house on Kirchboden in Wagrain for a number of years.

Photos: Hemma Ebner
Text: Carola Marie Schmidt