accumulated, if unconsciously, through a multitude of
visions and interpretations that were registered over time
in the mind of an artist, who happens also to be a
medical scientist, and in turn experienced medical
challenges himself at different points of his life.
Prologue
From the Artist
This show of paintings and sculpture represents
a kaleidoscope of different aspects of the health
professions that may be traced back to the beginning of
civilization: to serve one’s fellow human being through
maintaining health as well as repairing and healing
various ailments of body and mind. The artwork in
this exhibit embraces the areas of diagnosis, therapy,
surgery, and research. It is based on the respect for the
patient, the health professional, and the researcher.
For decades, I have been fascinated by portraits
depicting patients with their diseases (from “The
Man in Pain” by Albrecht Dürer, or Peruvian pottery
figures from the Inca times, to “Broken Column” by
Frida Kahlo) as well as by medical illustrations (ranging
from more than 5,000 anatomical drawings by
Leonardo Da Vinci, or Andreas Vesalius, to the nine
volumes by Frank Netter). However, strictly speaking,
the art presented here belongs to neither category.
Rather, it is an artistic rendering and synthesis of
an array of topics, thoughts, findings, theories, and
phenomena derived from physiological, pathological,
biochemical, biological, genetic and other considerations
associated with certain medical and pharmaceutical
concerns and themes. It obviously could not represent a
remotely complete or accurate record of medical
scientific trends and knowledge past or present. Instead,
it may offer a perhaps interesting glimpse into what
The well-known German theologian/physicist,
Hans Küng, writes eloquently (translating freely): “The
teeming world of colors, sounds, smells, and the overall
plenitude of the world of senses is infinitely richer
than any physical and chemical formulas. And before
the [natural scientist] is able to discern the colorless
electromagnetic waves of different lengths and
frequencies, he too will see the colors red, yellow, blue
and green in their thousand variations—with all their
emotional resonances, independently of their immediate
context.” In this way, works of art may be able
to exemplify the distinctly human dimension of lived
experience as a further and indispensable dimension
of the work of health professionals, beyond the
parameters of the natural sciences.
The UNC Health Sciences Library presents
Learned in Science, Explored in Art
An Exhibit of Paintings by
Wolfgang A. Ritschel
September 21 through December 31, 2009
Exhibit Guide
Wolfgang A. Ritschel
About the Artist
Exhibit Web Page: www.unc.hsl.edu/Ritschel
Full catalog of works available on 1st floor and at
www.unc.hsl.edu/Ritschelcatalog.pdf
Gallery talk & reception:
Wednesday, October, 14, 2009, 5:00 – 6:30 p.m.
Join our Blog discussion:
Unchslexhibit.wordpress.com
This exhibit was organized by the
University of Cincinnati Libraries
Scientist. Philosopher. Artist! Wolfgang
Ritschel is all of these. Born in Trautenau, in what is
now the Czech Republic, and raised in Vienna, Ritschel
excelled at both left brain and right brain disciplines
from an early age. He holds doctorates in philosophy,
pharmacology, and medicine. Ritschel taught at
universities in Austria, Bangladesh, and Switzerland
before arriving at the University of Cincinnati in 1968,
where he was professor of pharmacokinetics and
biopharmaceutics in the College of Pharmacy and
professor of pharmacology and cell biophysics in the
College of Medicine; he is now professor emeritus.
During his years as a scientific scholar and
teacher, Ritschel never lost his passion for painting and
sculpture. He began exhibiting his work in the early
1990s and has had over 60 solo shows in the U.S.,
Europe, and South America.
Ritschel describes his painting style as
expressionism influenced by fauvism. “I use extremely
brilliant, vibrant, bright fuvistic color schemes as well as
strong cloisonnistic encasements and overlapping.”
Locations and Paintings
Mental Illness: Bipolar Disorder and Schizophrenia
(Acrylic, 20 x 16 inches)
First Floor: Wall adjacent to coffee shop
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder
(Acrylic,40 x 30 inches)
Cerebral Landscape
(Acrylic, 30 x 24 inches)
Cloning: DNA Transfer Technology
(Acrylic, 24 x 18 inches)
Medicine [Collage]
(Mixed media, 28 x 24 inches)
When All Fades Into Nothing
(Acrylic,30 x 24 inches)
Essentials for Life: Mitochondria and Erythrocytes
(Acrylic, 12 x 16 inches)
Pharmacokinetics [Collage]
At McNider Entrance
“Yes, That’s You!” Patient Bio-Identification Systems
(PBIS) (Acrylic, 20 x 16 inches)
The Color Wheel in the Brain (Self-portrait of the Artist)
The Immune System at Work
(Mixed media, 28 x 24 inches)
Pharmacy [Collage]
(Mixed media, 28 x 24 inches)
(Acrylic, 40 x 30 inches)
(Acrylic, 30 x 24 inches)
Heart Writing
(Acrylic, 24 x 18 inches)
George Rieveschl, Jr.: Discoverer of Benadryl, the
World’s First Antihistamine
The Secret of the Sherpas
(Acrylic, 40 x 30 inches)
(Acrylic, 40 x 30 inches)
Apoptosis (Acrylic, 20 x 16 inches)
First floor copy room entrance
Aqueous Veins
Musicament [Collage]
(Acrylic, 20 x 16 inches
Staircase landing at Second Floor
(Mixed media, 18 x 24 inches)
Ode to Life
Outside First Floor Study Rooms
Outpatients
(Acrylic, 18 x 24 inches)
(Acrylic, 24 x 18 inches)
UC |21—Knowledge On The Hill
(Acrylic, 40 x 30 inches)
DNA Cocktail
(Acrylic, 14 x 11 inches)
First floor study area
OPR —Teaching Hospital
(Acrylic, 30 x 40 inches)
Dyslexia
(Acrylic, 18 x 24 inches)
The Conquest of Polio
The Horrors of Hidden Toxic Dangers
Mid-Stair Landing Between 1st and 2nd and Basement and
1st Floors
(Acrylic, 24 x 18 inches)
Hieroglyphs: Healing (II )
(Acrylic, 16 x 20 inches)
(Mixed media, 18 x 24 inches)
Second Floor Reading Room and Elevator Walls
Anxiety
Petroglyphs: Healing
(Acrylic,30 x 24 inches)
Not an Exact Copy
CTC L—I Have to Live With It
Pictographs: Healing
(Acrylic,24 x 18 inches)
The Cornucopia of Life
Migraine Pain
(Acrylic,20 x 16 inches)
(Mixed media, 28.5 x 22.5 inches)
(Acrylic, 24 x 18 inches)
(Mixed media, 28.5 x 22.5 inches)
(Acrylic, 20 x 16 inches)
Geoglyphs: Healing
(Mixed media, 28.5 x 22.5 inches)