Boeckl
was fully aware that many of his pictures only later revealed their full effect
on the viewer - and indeed on himself:
"The artist makes a blot on the canvas, then unconsciously
gives this blot an essential form. He doesn't know what this blot means. He
makes a second, third and fourth blot. He still has no idea what it is going
to be, but he very soon understands what the form demands. He never knows what
he can make of it, but only what is demanded of him. This goes on throughout
life, right to the end. After forty years, he may see his pictures with quite
different eyes, and even for those around him his pictures are quite different
pictures. After seeing my pictures, my colleagues have often asked: 'When was
that painted? We've never seen that one.' 'Oh, yes,' I said, 'you have indeed
seen it, and you expressed unmistakable disapproval - at the time.
The picture then set off on its travels, for thirty or forty years, until at
last it revealed itself to its viewer."
