Wish-fountain

Wish-fountain (2021), oil on canvas

The Vienna Parliament building with the Pallas Athene statue at the front is one of the most important splendor building at the Wiener Ringstraße. Built from 1874 to 1883 according the plans of architect Theophil Hansen in the Greek-Roman style, he created a total art work.
If you stay at the front of the parliament the view of the visitor is dominated by a 5,5 m high statue of Pallas Athene which stands in the middle of a large fountain. The sculptor Carl Kundmann created the statue according to the plans from architect Hansen. He was not able to see the finished statue as Hansen was already dead when it was revealed in the year 1902.
The goddess of wisdom Pallas Athene holds in her right hand a small figure of Nike the goddess of victory and in her left hand a spear. She is surrounded by personification of the legislation (right side) and the execution (left side) of the laws. Directly at the fountain bowl, which consists of granite, the both main rivers of Austria, Donau and Inn, are represented by a female and male figure.
For my painting and I used the “person” of Inn, more precisely the longing and desire on his face was what moved my imagination... how could I connect the past with the present so that it would be light, funny, using some of the beautiful sculptures? So I left the Danube out of the sculpture ensemble (depicted in a female figure) and replaced it with a flesh-and-blood woman. The object of Inn's desire can be decided by everyone ...