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To mark the fiftieth anniversary of Fritz Wotruba’s death, the Belvedere will present a comprehensive exhibition that, for the first time, highlights the international reach of the Austrian sculptor’s career. The exhibition focuses on Wotruba’s global exhibition activities, his artistic network, and the reception of his work, placing these in dialogue with sculptures by significant contemporaries, including Alberto Giacometti, Barbara Hepworth, Henry Moore, and Alicia Penalba.

In this context, Wotruba emerges as a central voice in the postwar discourse on the depiction of the human being. General Director Stella Rollig notes: “Fritz Wotruba was more than just an Austrian phenomenon – his voice commanded respect in Europe and beyond. With this exhibition, we are honoring not only his singular sculptural presence but also his role as a cultural actor with a visionary commitment to art, education, and society. “

Wotruba is regarded as one of the most influential figures in Austrian art since 1945. He achieved early international success with his first solo exhibition held at the Museum Folkwang in Essen in 1931. During his exile in Switzerland, he forged a sculptural language all his own. After returning to Vienna at the end of 1945, he continued to develop his artistic practice, teaching generations of sculptors at the Academy of Fine Arts and making a lasting impact as director of the Würthle Gallery.

The human figure remained central to his sculptural work, which he increasingly abstracted and reduced to monumental blocks or cylindrical forms – yet never lost its connection to anthropomorphic origins.

Belvedere, Vienna: Fritz Wotruba International