Gouache on paper
Austria, around 1955
Rudolf Petrik (1922-1991) – Austrian artist and writer
Signed ‘P‘ lower right
Verso with estate stamp
Dimensions: 45 x 59.5 cm
Good condition
Art works by the Vienna Secessionist Rudolf Petrik are not just of interest to collectors of Austrian Modernism. Rarely seen on the art market, a painting by Petrik fetched a staggering 4.500 Euros at an auction in 1933. Auctionata is delighted to present further works of the artist’s estate!

This colorful gouache was painted by the Viennese Secessionist artist Rudolf Petrik around 1955, when he was very influenced by the developments on the field of contemporary abstract art. At this time, he produced numerous works in different techniques, such as oil and gouache, with which he intended to overcome the figurative character of his art. The present work shows an abstract-geometric composition of monochrome rectangles in red, yellow, blue, green and violet, which are crossed by two thick black lines on the left side. Regarding the characteristic style of the piece, it immediately reminds of the art of Piet Mondrian.



The gouache is in a good condition with small traces of age and use. The margins show tiny pin holes. The work is signed ‘P’ at the lower right side. On the verso, it shows the estate stamp.The paper measures 45 cm in height and 59.5 cm in width. (cbo)



Rudolf Petrik (1922-1991)

Rudolf Petrik was born in 1922 in Vienna where he studied at the academy of arts under Robin Christian Andersen and Josef Dubrowsky. The influence of his teachers can be detected in this early body of work, in which he painted in a naturalistic manner. As off 1952 his work shifted to a more geometric use of form, mostly rendered in oil or gouache. In 1953, Petrik became a member of the renowned Vienna Secession. In the following years he took part in numerous group exhibitions alongside some of the most famous Austrian artists of the time such as Wolfgang Hollegha, Fritz Wotruba, Arnulf Rainer, Josef Mikl, Maria Lassnig and Markus Prachensky. He was one of the artists that shaped the avant-garde art movement in Austria. They wanted to free their work from all representation and put their work in context with current international art movements that were coming in. A platform for these artists to meet and mingle was Monsignore Otto Mauer’s gallery “Nächst St. Stephan” in Vienna’s Grünangergasse.



As off the mid-1960s Petrik was occupied with finding a way to visually transform writings into his picture planes. He incorporated quotes, as well as notes from his diaries into his art works and called these ‘Schriftbilder’ (‘Writing Pictures’). He created this body of work as means to counteract the loss of literature.



Next to his profession as an artist, Petrik was also known for his writings as an author. He was involved with the contemporary literary scene surrounding Ernst Jandl, Friederike Mayröcker and Ilse Aichinger. The art historian Otto Breicha described Petrik’s work in a couple of text passages and paid his respect to the entire body of work. Today his work can be found in the Austrian Gallery Belvedere in Vienna, in the Neue Gallery in Linz, as well as numerous private collections, as for example the Collection Leopold.

Shipping costs excl. statutory VAT and plus 2,5% (+VAT) shipping insurance.

Due to the legal obligation for the resale royalty in the art market the following applies: As a result of its membership in the AV Kunst, Auctionata charges additionally to the hammer price the contribution to the AV Kunst of currently 2.1% of the revenues from the sale of fine arts and photographs pro rata towards the buyer. More information about royalty right in our T&C.