RUDOLF POINTNER* (Zara 1907 - 1991 Graz) Expulsion of the Hobagoasz, 1932 oil/canvas 80 x 90 cm signed Pointner, dated 32 SCHÄTZPREIS / ESTIMATE € 6000 - 12000 STARTPREIS / STARTING PRICE € 6000 Born in Zara, the then capital of the Kingdom of Dalmatia (now Zadar in Croatia), Rudolf Pointner attended the teacher training college in Graz after World War I, along with Friedrich Aduatz and Peter Richard Oberhuber, where he later also worked as a secondary school teacher. Rudolf Pointner was always open to new artistic trends, being a curious and driven autodidact. In the early years of his artistic career, depictions of rural life and landscapes formed a particular focus of his work. After World War II, surrealistic and even psychedelic influences increasingly dominated his work, which led to a late surge in popularity for Pointner in the 1970s. The present painting was created in 1932, a year before Pointner first exhibited at the Hagenbund, where he became a member in 1934. It depicts a scene from rural traditions, the expulsion of the "Hobagoaß" or "Habergeiß." The Hobagoaß resembles a domestic goat in appearance and bleats like one too. However, it also laughs like a goblin, croaks like a toad, and screeches like an owl. It haunts various places, such as ditches and crossroads, causing all kinds of fear among people. The Hobagoaß is an ambivalent figure, ensuring justice on one hand by pursuing wood thieves, but on the other hand spoiling crops and cows, and pressing on sleeping people like a nightmare. It frightens children when they are disobedient and, like an owl's cry, foretells the death of a person. As ambivalent as its behavior in the role attributed to it, so is its origin. It is suspected that it originally represented a hermaphroditic fertility figure: half goat, half buck. One interpretation suggests that its original name was "Avergeist." Etymologically, "Haber" has nothing to do with oats but refers to a goat buck (Old Norse "hafr", Anglo-Saxon "hæfer"). In Alpine traditions, the Hobagoaß still roams around, accompanying Krampus and the "Schiachperchten," and engages in various pranks during Perchten processions. Under its mask, with a fur-like cloak and a goat-like wooden head with a long billy goat beard, one or two young men hide, performing the movements of the Hobagoaß. It is led by its human driver with a lead rope. The spectators are cautious because the Hobagoaß is hardly controlled by its driver, pulls at the lead rope, trots from one side of the street to the other, sometimes pushing into the crowd, and can unexpectedly kick with its hooves. In the scene Pointner presents here, clearly influenced by expressionist tendencies, everything is colorful in every sense. This not only applies to the striking colors of the villagers' clothing and houses but even more to the exuberant hustle and bustle in the street. No one seems particularly frightened by the shaggy, eerie figure of the wildly dancing Hobagoaß. Everyone seems rather to be having great fun, including the children. A driver who has the Hobagoaß under control is nowhere to be clearly identified—unless the clownishly painted face belongs to the shaggy figure next to the Hobagoaß, and that's the driver! In the cheerful and exuberant confusion, it's not always entirely clear which leg, arm, or head belongs to whom. However, two chickens show little amusement, running off startled and, one can assume, clucking loudly. Or perhaps they are fleeing from the impertinence of the mischievous boy in the foreground—or from the strains of the music, being played by a man with an accordion and a colleague with a primitive string instrument. Rudolf Pointner was an Austrian artist. He was equally successful as a painter and graphic artist. Initially he created depictions of the rural world and landscapes, after 1945 informal works as well as surreal and fantastic compositions; there were also collages. In the 1920s, Pointner attended the teacher training college in Graz with F. Aduatz and P. R. Oberhuber, and worked as a secondary school teacher in the city until 1961; As an artist, Pointner was self-taught. In 1937/1938 he worked for O. Basil's political and literary magazine “PLAN”. In 1941 he was drafted into service as a teacher in Slovenia. In 1944 he was drafted into military service, but deserted and joined a French resistance organization. Nevertheless, he was interned at the end of the war. Pointner worked again as an employee at PLAN until 1948. In 1933 Pointner exhibited in the Hagenbund for the first time, and he was a member from 1934 to 1938; From 1934 to 1966 he was a member of the Graz Secession, of which he served as president from 1953 to 1965. In 1977, Pointner was a founding member of the Graz “Group 77”. After 1945 he also showed his works in the Vienna Art Club. In 1948 he took part in the Surrealist exhibition in Vienna together with E. Jené and A. Neuwirth. In the 1960s and 1970s Pointner maintained a second home in Ischia, where he became friends with W. Gilles. Pointner has had numerous solo and group exhibitions at home and abroad; for instance, he took part in the “Trigon” exhibitions. In 2007, there was a memorial exhibition on the occasion of Rudolf Pointner's 100th birthday in the Neue Galerie at the Joanneum. Some of his works are located: in the Albertina, in the Joanneum Graz and in the Diocesan Museum of Graz. Honours, prizes (selection): 1935 and 1953 Silver Medals from the city of Graz; 1960 Joanneum Art Prize of the State of Styria; 1960 appointed professor; 1968 Prize of the City of Köflach; 1976 Award of the State of Styria; 1987 Large Golden Medal of Honour from the State of Styria. Our painting depicts a tradition followed in some areas of the European Alps, in which a man dressed as a goat is driven through the village or town. PLEASE NOTE: The purchase price consists of the highest bid plus the buyer's premium, sales tax and, if applicable, the fee of artists resale rights. In the case of normal taxation (marked ° at the estimate), a premium of 24% is added to the highest bid. The mandatory sales tax is added to the sum of the highest bid and the buyer's premium. This amounts to 13% for paintings, drawings, graphic works and sculptures and 20% for photographs and all other items. The buyer's premium amounts to 28% in case of differential taxation. The sales tax is included in the differential taxation.
RUDOLF POINTNER* (Zara 1907 - 1991 Graz) Expulsion of the Hobagoasz oil/canvas, 80 x 90 cm signed Pointner, dated 32 ESTIMATE € 9000 - 15000 STARTING PRICE € 9000 The Austrian painter Rudolf Pointner, after attending the Graz teacher training college together with F. Aduatz and P. R. Oberhuber, was a secondary school teacher in Graz as a day job, and as an autodidact he was always open to new trends. He was banned from painting by the Reich Chamber of Culture. He was a member of the Hagenbund (1929-1938) and an employee of O. Basil's magazine “PLAN” and received the title of professor in 1960. As president of the Graz Secession, he founded Galerie 16 for it. In 1947 he was a founding member of the Art Club in Vienna with Hundertwasser; In Graz he led the children's art group with Paul Koczett. In 1948 he took part in the Surrealist exhibition in Vienna together with E. Jené and A. Neuwirth. After the war, Pointner maintained a second home in Ischia, where he became friends with W. Gilles. Pointner has had numerous international solo and group exhibitions; et al. He took part in the “Trigon” exhibitions. He was a founding member of the Graz “Group 77”. He also took part in the Stadtpark Forum and received numerous prizes, including: the Joanneum Art Prize and the Appreciation Prize of the State of Styria. PLEASE NOTE: The purchase price consists of the highest bid plus the buyer's premium, sales tax and, if applicable, the fee of artists resale rights. In the case of normal taxation (marked °), a premium of 24% is added to the highest bid. The mandatory sales tax of 13%, for photographys 20%, is added to the sum of the highest bid and the buyer's premium. The buyer's premium amounts to 28% in case of differential taxation. The sales tax is included in the differential taxation.
(Zara-Domatien 1907–1991 Graz) Ohne Titel. Bunte Komposition. Aquarell auf Papier. Lichtmass 55x75 cm. Gerahmt. -Diese Zeichnung wurde nicht ausgerahmt.
Rudolf Pointner (Zara-Dalmatien 1907 - 1991 Graz, Mitglied des Forum Stadtpark und der neuen Sezessionsgruppe, war tätig in Graz und Ischia) "Menschenfresser", signiert, datiert Rudolf Pointner 1971, Aquarell auf Papier, Bildausschnitt 20 x 29 cm, Passepartout, unter Glas
Rudolf Pointner (Zara-Dalmatien 1907-1991 Graz, Mitglied des Hagenbundes in Wien sowie der Grazer Sezession) Ohne Titel, auf der Rückseite signiert und datiert Rudolf Pointner 1972, Aquarell auf Karton, Blattgröße 25 x 34 cm, verglast, gerahmt
Rudolf Pointner (Zara-Dalmatien 1907 - 1991 Graz, Mitglied des Forum Stadtpark und der neuen Sezessionsgruppe, war tätig in Graz und Ischia) Ohne Titel, rückseitig signiert, datiert, Mischtechnik auf Papier, Blattgröße 43,5 x 65 cm, Passepartout, verglast, gerahmt
Rudolf Pointner (Zara-Dalmatien 1907-1991 Graz, Mitglied der Grazer Sezession und des Hagenbundes) Ohne Titel, auf der Rückseite signiert, datiert Rudolf Pointner 1972, Aquarell auf Papier, Blattgröße 25 x 34 cm, Passepartout, fleckig, ungerahmt
Rudolf Pointner (Zara-Dalmatien 1907-1991 Graz, Mitglied des Forum Stadtpark und der neuen Sezessionsgruppe, war tätig in Graz und Ischia) "Bunter Vogel", rückseitig signiert, datiert Rudolf Pointner 1972, Aquarell/Collage auf Papier, 38 x 56 cm, verglast, gerahmt, Rahmen abgerieben
Rudolf Pointner (Zara-Dalmatien 1907-1991 Graz, Mitglied der Grazer Sezession und des Hagenbundes)"Odysseus", auf der Rückseite signiert, datiert Rudolf Pointner 1988, Öl auf Leinwand, 35 x 35 cm, gerahmt
