Leopold Museum shows Klimt masterpiece on the Attersee
15.07.2014
Original painting "Large Poplar" to be shown until the 24th of July at the Klimt Center in Kammer-Schörfling
Kammer-Schörfling (OTS) – The Governor of Upper Austria, Josef Pühringer, unveiled the Klimt original "The Large Poplar II" last Saturday together with Elisabeth Leopold and the directors of the Leopold Museum Peter Weinhäupl and Franz Smola at the Gustav Klimt Center in Kammer-Schörfling on the Attersee. The extraordinary "guest appearance" of this painting is made possible through a cooperation between the Gustav Klimt Center and the Leopold Museum.
Large Poplar: after 100 years back at the place of its creation
For the third year running, the Documentation Center, opened in 2012 near Schloss Kammer, is showing an original Klimt painting on the Attersee. In the opening year, the center’s exhibition featured the work "On Lake Attersee", last year it showed the rendering "A Morning by the Pond" (depicting a landscape in Egelsee). This year, the center is presenting another motif captured on the Attersee, the 1902 painting "The Large Poplar II" (Gathering Storm). It is the first time in over 110 years that this work has returned to the place of its creation.
Fekter, Winzig and Karas admired poplar depictions from the turn of the century
Austrian members of parliament Maria Fekter and Angelika Winzig as well as European Parliament member Othmar Karas came to view the extraordinary Klimt painting for themselves. The Mayor of Schörfling Gerhard Gründl and the Mayor of Seewalchen Johann Reiter also admired Klimt’s poplar as well as two further loans, a poplar avenue by the Atmospheric Impressionist Emil Jakob Schindler (Leopold Museum) as well as a poplar depiction by the Viennese Secessionist Wilhelm List (privately owned). Also in attendance were Klimt’s heirs, the families Zimpel and Huber, as well as the managing director of the Klimt Foundation Sandra Tretter, who created the Klimt Center’s scientific concept together with Peter Weinhäupl.
Governor Pühringer: "30,000 visitors not to be taken for granted"
The Governor of Upper Austria Josef Pühringer acknowledged the success of the Klimt Center: "30,000 people have visited the Klimt Center since its inception. It is not to be taken for granted that these visitors have come to the region". He said that Klimt’s oeuvre was inextricably linked with Austrian and international art history. Inaugurated in 2012, on the occasion of the artist’s 150th birthday (born 14th of July 1862, died 1918), the center was opened not a moment too soon. He felt that it was important to draw attention to the art historical phenomenon that is Klimt at the place where the artist regularly spent his summers between 1900 and 1916.
LM Managing Director Weinhäupl: Klimt Center "boost for the region"
The Leopold Museum Managing Director Peter Weinhäupl thanked the state of Upper Austria and the municipalities of Schörfling and Seewalchen for supporting the Klimt Center. He also expressed his gratitude to the sponsors Siwacht and Kunsttrans as well as to the association "Klimt on the Attersee" and the Attersee tourist board for their marvelous efforts on behalf of this important cultural project on the Attersee. He added that supporting the Klimt activities on the Attersee meant not only giving subsidies but also promoting a cultural project that provided a boost for the region.
Elisabeth Leopold: Klimt: extraordinary achievements of a sensitive man
Elisabeth Leopold pointed out the extraordinary achievements of Gustav Klimt, whose art shaped an entire century. She went on to emphasize that Klimt and Schiele were the greatest draftsmen of the 20th century and that Klimt was not only an important artist but also a profoundly sensitive man.
LM Director Smola: Rudolf Leopold: collector and missionary; art as ambassador
Franz Smola, the Museological Director (interim) of the Leopold Museum was glad that chief works from the museum’s collection could be shown time and again on the Attersee. Prof. Rudolf Leopold himself had not wanted to enjoy the paintings in his collection alone, but had set up a foundation and built a museum in Vienna. His efforts on behalf of Schiele, Klimt and art around 1900 sprang not only from his passion as a collector but had become a veritable mission. From the very beginning, the collection traveled as an ambassador throughout the world and was also frequently shown in the Austrian states.
Eva Knoll, Attersee tourist board: close connection between culture and tourism
The chairlady of the Attersee tourist board Eva Knoll thanked the Governor for the state’s support and the managing director of the tourist board Christian Schirlbauer for his tireless efforts. Highlighting the close connection between culture and tourism, she said that tourists from all over Europe, as well as from the US, Australia, New Zealand, China and Japan were drawn in equal measure to the Attersee and the Klimt Center.
Käthe Zwach: association "Klimt on the Attersee": fruitful cooperation
Käthe Zwach, the chairlady of the association "Klimt on the Attersee" thanked Elisabeth Leopold. She outlined the scale of the Klimt Center with a project volume of 400,000 euros and 270,000 euros in funding from the Department of Commerce, from the state and the municipalities and as well as through sponsorship from Lenzing, Münze Österreich and Alarmservice IP. She hoped that the cooperation would remain equally fruitful in the future.
Klimt’s poplar shown at the Gustav Klimt Center on the Attersee until the 24th of July
The Klimt painting "The Large Poplar" is on display at the Klimt Center from the 12th to the 24th of July. The Gustav Klimt Center, Hauptstraße 30, 4861 Kammer-Schörfling is open daily from 10 am to 6 pm. The symbiosis of art, history and beautiful scenery is particularly attractive and makes the Attersee a popular destination for cultural excursions and readers’ tours.
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