Paul Flora – his life and work
Looking back at his graphic works over the years, there is little change of substance. One of the first drawings to be seen in the exhibition features unusually bold lines and dates from the year 1938.
In the 1950s Flora turns to delicately thin outlines and develops the unmistakable line drawings in ink that are to become his trademark throughout Europe and beyond. In the 1960s the lines become firmer and the outline thicker.
From the 1970s, hatching begins to enter his drawings in an unmistakable manner. With his “nervous tempests of lines”, with their fine gradations in contrast from light to dark, and the various grey tones in between, he produces his differing, predominantly melancholy moods. The colour disappears almost completely from his work.
From the 1980s he also begins to use colour as a further element of his painting; first using water colours and later coloured pencils. His work is complemented by the pencil draw, but he remained to the end a master of the pen.
He works untiringly up until his death on 15. May 2009. One of his last drawings, entitled “Eines Älplers kühner Sprung” [An Alpine Herdsman’s Bold Leap] adorns the Gmünd exhibition poster.
In the 1950s Flora turns to delicately thin outlines and develops the unmistakable line drawings in ink that are to become his trademark throughout Europe and beyond. In the 1960s the lines become firmer and the outline thicker.
From the 1970s, hatching begins to enter his drawings in an unmistakable manner. With his “nervous tempests of lines”, with their fine gradations in contrast from light to dark, and the various grey tones in between, he produces his differing, predominantly melancholy moods. The colour disappears almost completely from his work.
From the 1980s he also begins to use colour as a further element of his painting; first using water colours and later coloured pencils. His work is complemented by the pencil draw, but he remained to the end a master of the pen.
He works untiringly up until his death on 15. May 2009. One of his last drawings, entitled “Eines Älplers kühner Sprung” [An Alpine Herdsman’s Bold Leap] adorns the Gmünd exhibition poster.
Paul Flora
