Josef Mikl: Ceiling painting (404 m²) and 22 murals for the Great Redoutensaal, Hofburg, Vienna, Austria
Gabriele Baumgartner
2020
Josef Mikl is indelibly linked with Austrian art history, above all through his greatest public commission: the decoration of the Great Redouten Hall in the Vienna Hofburg.
After a devastating fire destroyed the furnishings of the Great Redoutensaal in 1992, the Republic of Austria decided to redesign it. With the help of a competition, a suitable artist was to be found. With his paintings based on texts by Karl Kraus, Johann Nestroy, Elias Canetti and Ferdinand Raimund, Josef Mikl impressed and won over the jury. Between 1994 and 1997, he painted the 404 m2 (34.80×11.60 m) ceiling picture and the 22 murals with a total area of 214 m2 in oil on canvas.
Without a doubt, he created a monument to Austrian literature by dedicating his ceiling painting to the poem „Youth“ by Karl Kraus and interpreting it, as well as realising passages of text by Johann Nestroy, Ferdinand Raimund and Elias Canetti in painting for the murals.
The Great Redoutensaal is considered the Austrian state hall and, as the parliament will be renovated in the next few years, this hall now also functions as the meeting hall for members of parliament.
Working on the ceiling painting in the Arsenal. The canvas lay on the floor and Josef Mikl repeatedly checked his painting with a self-built high stand. Only after the painting was finished was the ceiling painting mounted and laminated in the Great Redoutensaal in July 1996. The ceiling painting was finally unveiled on 25 October 1996.
All 34 verses by Karl Kraus are woven into the painting. They are not visible standing on the floor and looking up, but Josef Mikl made individual photos of the verses in the painting before they were laminated on.
The programme of 22 murals reflects scenes from the works of Johann Nestroy (10 murals: Einen Jux will er sich machen 1,2, Der Zerrissene 3,4,5, Nur Ruhe 6,7,8, Die verhängnisvolle Faschingsnacht 9,10), by Elias Canetti (2 murals, Stirnwand, Komödie der Eitelkeit) and Ferdinand Raimund (10 murals: Der Barometermacher auf der Zauberinsel 1,2, Der Diamant des Geisterkönigs 3,4,5, Der Alpenkönig und der Menschenfeind 6,7,8, Der Bauer als Millionär 9,10).
