Hans Robert Pippal

Many people know Hans Robert Pippal (1915–1998) above all for his charming views of Vienna. And indeed, it is with great passion that this perhaps „most Viennese“ of 20th-century Austrian painters devotes himself to his hometown. Pippal paints representative streets and buildings like the Ringstrasse, the State Opera, St. Stephen’s Cathedral, and the Graben, as well as atmospheric scenes from Vienna’s outer districts. He is virtually unexcelled at capturing the city’s atmosphere as it changes over the course of the day and the seasons.

Alongside Pippal’s famous images of Vienna, his broad thematic spectrum also includes portraits and figurative studies, religious motifs, and still lifes. And his oeuvre likewise includes vedutas and cityscapes that originate on his trips to Italy and France. There, Pippal takes his inspiration from the lightness and fresh colors of painters such as Henri Matisse or Raoul Dufy.

Prof. Martina Pippal, the artist’s daughter, recently donated a large group of watercolors, pastels, drawings, and sketches to the ALBERTINA Museum. A selection of these will now be presented to the public for the first time.