Prof. Bernhard Prähauser (born February 2, 1921 in Hallein; died July 24, 2016 in the same place) was a sculptor from Hallein.

Life

Bernhard Prähauser completed an apprenticeship as a sculptor with Jakob Adlhart (sculptor) and, in the late 1930s, also worked in Max Domenig's sculpture workshop. From 1947 to 1950, he studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts under Fritz Wotruba. He lived and worked in Hallein for many years. There he also taught at the Hallein School of Sculpture at the Technical College for Wood and Stone Sculpture from 1978 to 1983. In 1958, he founded his own workshop on Molnarplatz in Hallein. He was also a co-founder of the Pro Arte Gallery in Hallein.

It was not until 1983 that he moved with his wife Nelly to Lungau, where he created numerous sacred and secular works—mostly in wood—in Göriach. Bernhard Prähauser also worked with marble and natural stone. In 2006, after the death of his wife, he returned to Hallein.

Works
Christian religious motifs and themes dominated the work of the sculptor Bernhard Prähauser. One well-known work is "Zillis. Art in Experience and Result," often referred to as the Göriach Bible, created in 1992, acquired in 2003 by the Salzburg Museum Association and exhibited in the Salzburg Museum. The Salzburg City Nativity Scene, owned by the Salzburg State Nativity Scene Association, is also an important work by Prähauser.

Around 1965, he created the sculpture of a salt carrier, which stands between multi-story residential buildings at Hans-Pfitzner-Straße 9. The artist chose a similar subject for a sculpture in Hallein. The bronze stele on Bruderlochweg in Bad Vigaun was created in the 1970s.

The Old Catholic Christ Church in the city of Salzburg features depictions of the four evangelists and other reliefs by Bernhard Prähauser. These were originally created by the artist for the Cyprian Church in 15th Vienna and only later came to Salzburg.

Exhibitions
From November 2003 to January 2004, the Salzburg Museum dedicated a separate exhibition to the artist Bernhard Prähauser.

In 2011, an exhibition about Bernhard Prähauser and his students took place at the pro arte art space in Hallein.

In December 1997, Prähauser exhibited a bronze cast entitled "Kreuz" (Cross) at "1Blick - Kunst im Vorhaus" (1Blick - Art in the Vorhaus).

Literature
Steiner, Gertraud: Sculptor Bernhard Prähauser: Monograph with numerous illustrations, Wolfgang Pfeifenberger Verlag, 2007

Images
Bernhard Prähauser – Collection of additional images, videos, and audio files in the SALZBURGWIKI

Sources: Flock, Andrea and Joey Wimplinger: Fine Arts, in: Ammerer, Gerhard (ed.): Puch bei Hallein. History and Present of a Salzburg Community. Municipality of Puch bei Hallein 1998.

www.smca.at

www.altkatholiken-ried.at

www.pallottihaus-wien.at

www.kirchen.net

Gertraud Steiner, Bildhauer Bernhard Prähauser: Monografie mit zahlreichen Abbildungen, Wolfgang Pfeifenberger Verlag, 2007

Salzburger Nachrichten, February 1, 2011