It is not a portrait that Markus Lüpertz with his sculpture "H?ra" dedicated to the weekly newspaper "DIE ZEIT" for its seventieth anniversary. Rather, the artist deals with the comprehensive meaning of the term "hour", which is beyond the earthly. This is why his "H?ra" presents itself without a head: time is above the individual.
The figure gets its title from the Greek word for "hour", its shape resembles that of ancient sculptures: the hip slightly flared, the right arm angled and raised to the shoulder, while the left arm, with strict emphasis on the vertical, the female figure stands in classic antique posture in front of its viewer.
With his sculpture, however, Markus Lüpertz once again defies too narrow an interpretation based on ancient models and creates his own figurine rich in ideas and myths: the hourglass at her feet, symbolizing transience, and the pomegranate lying on it, a sign of immortality, are standing in contradiction and at the same time represent the extremes of time. The stick in the right hand, which is sometimes used in art as a symbol for resurrection, belongs to this category of carriers of meaning, while the downward-pointing left arm functions as a narrative element. With the colorful painting with which Markus Lüpertz covers his bronze by hand, the artist transfers the painting into a new medium. For Lüpertz, sculptures form the extension of a surface, they carry his painting into space.
