In the 1960s, Herwig Schubert was commissioned to illustrate stories for the weekly Rupertusblatt newspaper published by the Archdiocese of Salzburg. Most of these were typical short stories by contemporary authors that addressed the themes and atmosphere of the post-war period. Schubert selected significant elements of the plot and depicted them in dramatically contrasting black-and-white images with dynamic, often overlapping ink strokes, whereby the finest, almost imperceptible, details reveal the characters’ inner states and the drama of the situation, encouraging viewers to form their own associations.

Schubert’s working method is spontaneous, yet extremely focused. He applies ink straight to the page, usually drawing several versions until he is satisfied with the final result.
Many of these ink drawings go beyond conventional illustrations in their creative independence and demonstrate both Schubert’s skills as a draughtsman and his desire as an artist to express the essence of things.

All illustrations: ink on paper, 1964 – 1968, DIN A4
Private collection