Der Müllerbursch und das Kätzchen

E(rnst) T(heodor) A(madeus) Hoffmann (1776-1822) published the first volume of his world-famous novel in 1819, and the second in 1821. The novel is the autobiography of a cat - Kater Murr, who writes of his life and tells how he became a writer.

Cats were very important in Prechtl's life. His last cat died in 1981. For thirteen years it had been Prechtl's companion at home and in his studio. Prechtl created a "gallery" of 33 "portraits" of cats who figure in the history of literature and art. Each of them is related to the authors and painters Prechtl particularly admires - and so his "Who's Who" of the cat world is also a miniature history of European painting and of the importance of cats in our cultural history, seen from the "animal" perspective.

There are a further 35 black and white drawings, "pictorial documents" which give a visual impression of Kreisler's life [not part of the exhibition and not included in the exhibition catalogue].