Exhibition for the 70th anniversary

Franz Blaas: The art of poetic drawing

Franz Blaas is one of Austria's best-known illustrators

(Bild: Einöder Horst)

A shy lady in a lightning blue dress or a plow horse with a view of the sea: Franz Blaas is the great poet among the artists who have made a name for themselves in the Austrian art scene. At the Galerie in der Schmiede in Pasching/Upper Austria, he is staging a foray through his work with 35 works to mark his 70th birthday.

Franz Blaas, who comes from Passau and grew up in Freinberg in the Innviertel region, loves the small format and direct drawing. As direct and spontaneous as children do. And the result is poetic worlds with mountains, houses, lakes or baroque ladies, mythical creatures, "raven beasts" or even "cephalopods". With just a few strokes, he often puts himself in the limelight, all embedded in simple surroundings.

What makes his art unique
In every small format, Blaas touches on big feelings that we are often ashamed of: self-doubt, shyness, longing, infatuation with mythical creatures or even the night. In the Galerie in der Schmiede, he is staging an arc of suspense with 35 works that also represent his entire oeuvre. The occasion: Blaas turned 70 on January 8.

Franz Blaas also loves charcoal drawing

(Bild: privat)

Simple, accurate, imaginative
There are early drawings to discover, mostly in pencil or black chalk. A series with pastel chalks leads into the current depictions of Belle Epoque ladies in curious golden frames. There are also animals and fairy-tale creatures to discover, such as the plough horse and the hazelnut eater. And one even does a headstand. Despite all the fantasy, Blaas opens a door to an undisguised, truthful world with his pictures.

The exhibition at the Galerie in der Schmiede in Pasching (until February 28) is remarkable. Blaas, who is represented in the best galleries in Austria, not only meets high standards, but also dares to go wide with his art in order to appeal to as many people as possible.