Free Day Post: Albertina


 This is a picture of me as we walked to visit the Albertina in Vienna. It was seriously one of my favorite art museums I have been to on this trip because the majority of art was post impressionism and beyond. There was one piece, my opinion, that stood out from the rest. It was called: Gebirgslandschaft mit Automobil, or Mountain Landscape with Automobile. It was done by Franz Sedlacek in 1931. I attached a picture of the painting as well. It was so jarring because the style is highly reminiscent of 2D animated films, yet it was done in oil. The mountains, pathways, and bridge are in no way realistic in structure, but they create balance and movement that direct our eyes to the car. The bright red automobile pops out significantly in the dreary landscape. Part of this style is created by making the shadows and backlighting highly dramatic. I literally sat and stared at it for a good ten minutes. 

So why in the wide world is this important? From what I gather, it was important because it was a part of a new developing style of art where the landscape seems fantastical, dramatic and tells a story–while the main figure, the car in this case, is rather simplistic. This is very similar to animated or illustrated media.  It is all about the story. It is not supposed to be real, instead the focus is on mood and composition and color theory. My sister is an artist and this piece looks a lot like what they had them learn to do in the BYU illustration BFA department. Therefore I would say pieces like these, made in the early 1900s were part of a new wave and style of art. The timeline fits. 

Museums like the Albertina must maintain a variety of art in order to hold its reputation of having new and exciting art. Sedlaccek’s “Mountain Landscape with Automobile” was literally shocking to me and I believe positively added to the Albertina's fame in my books. After talking to others, I think it was El Pratt and Tate who said the same thing. So I know I’m not the only one who loved this piece. I believe that this contributes to Vienna Being a cultural capital because it is exciting art with a historical tie. It simultaneously educates and elevates individuals who come into the museum. It is also such a good example of illustrative composition and contrast that it makes me happy. 

Comments

  1. Marie PetersonJune 19, 2024 at 5:56 AM

    I also went to the Albertina Museum while we were in Vienna and I loved it! The museum displays many diverse and impactful works, like Franz Sedlacek’s “Mountain Landscape with Automobile” which you did a great job analyzing. By displaying a collection that both educates and inspires, I think the Albertina is used to reinforce Vienna’s cultural identity and reputation as a place of exciting art.

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  2. Sophie TravellerJune 19, 2024 at 6:23 AM

    I love that you love the Albertina!! That painting is so awesome! I love what you said near the end about how the Albertina both educates and elevates the visitor and I think that is so important when it comes to a museum. This also helps the city's cultural status because it is a place to both see and learn about the history of Germany through experiences art throughout the years. You get to see how other artist have lived and how they have seen the world around them and I think that is so important when it comes to understand a city as a cultural capital.

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  3. SatchelJune 20, 2024 at 2:06 AM

    Great post Anna I also loved the Albertina and this painting! The Albertina is one of many great museums in Vienna and they all bring so much culture to the city! The Albertina has a great collection and paintings like the one you analyzed show how the museum cares about representing different periods of art. Because of this wide range of awesome art Vienna is known as a cultural capital

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