Since the mid-1950s, the Austrian artist Hermann Nitsch had developed a new form of art that consisted of music, literature and art, and was intended to merge into a total work of art that appeals to all the senses. As a sub-discipline of his ‘Orgies Mysteries Theater’, painting is not only the starting point, but also the final result of numerous actions, and thus became firmly anchored in the artist's work. Up until the end of the 1980s, the color red, which stands for life and death at the same time, was always the dominant color and is still inseparably linked to Hermann Nitsch today. A rare use of colors like black or violet began in the mid-1980s, however, the artist initially made sure they wouldn’t mix in an event. It was not until 1989 that the first multicolored "Pour Picture" was created. Works that were composed of different layers and repeatedly contained the liturgical colors green, red, violet, white and black. The present painting from 1992 can be assigned to this group of works. It can be clearly seen that the colors were applied in successive layers, first the thinner blue and then the impasto green and red layers of paint. Not only the colors, but also the different techniques of application become visible, because the paint is no longer just poured but also rubbed in with the hands, or it just runs down the canvas in thick layers. An exhibition at the Albertina in Vienna in 2019 impressively demonstrated the surprisingly wide range of his painting. In a contribution to the exhibition, Hermann Nitsch describes color as "a tremendous phenomenon". His action painting is an expression of this lifelong enthusiasm for the subject and lasting evidence of his meanwhile legendary and well-documented painting actions.

In addition to the color, the painting shirt also plays a very special role. In 1991, Hermann Nitsch wrote: "..the shirt is often added to a picture as the highest decoration and trophy, in order to enrich its color structure, there are pictures that don't need a shirt, others ask for it.." (Hermann Nitsch, Das Malhemd, 1991, quoted from: Dietmar Haubenhofer, Hermann Nitsch. Das Konzept des Orgien Mysterien Theaters. Malaktionen, Prinzendorf 2013, p. 122). The painter's shirt attached here in the middle of the canvas, which the artist and his assistants wore during the actions, clearly shows the traces of the very physical process of creation, a process that appeals to all senses. It is additionally emphasized by the vertical traces of green and the red accents, inevitably evoking associations with depictions of the Crucifixion. Reference to religion, philosophical views and mystical cults that are thousands of years old is characteristic of Hermann Nitsch's total work of art and repeatedly comes to light in different actions, relicts and levels of association. However, his understanding of art was not always meet with approval, especially in the early days. Over the decades until his death in 2022, however, the view of his work has constantly changed. His early works in particular are now recognized as a groundbreaking contribution to 20th century art and, taken as a whole, continue to fascinate his audience. [AR]