Ötztaler Gletscher

The Ötztal glaciers form one of the largest contiguous ice surfaces in the Eastern Alps. They have been observed, feared, drawn and interpreted by people for over 400 years. A watercolour of the Vernagtferner from 1601 is the oldest ever depiction of a glacier. The view of the imposing Alpine ice giants through the ages acts like a mirror image of our society: while once the crashing, threatening advance of the glaciers was processed by the peasant population in the form of outrageous legends, from the 19th century onwards, icefalls and glacial lakes attracted explorers, mountain enthusiasts and travellers to the high mountains in droves. In recent decades, glaciers have become the symbol of rapid global warming par excellence - and as such, they have once again found their way into contemporary art.