Oskar Kokoschka (1886-1980)

Biographical Sketch

The famous painter Oskar Kokoschka (b. March 1, 1886 in Pöcklarn, Austria), a leader of the Expressionist movement, emigrated to Britain (1938) and was granted British citizenship (1947). Studied at the arts and crafts school in Vienna under Gustav Klimt and thereafter worked at the Wiener Werkstätte studios (1905-09). Belonged to the Berlin 'Sturm' (The Storm) circle. Settled in Dresden in 1917. Served in the army (1914-18) and was seriously wounded in 1915. Professor at the Dresden Academy in 1919. Kokoschka also considered himself a writer. His drama 'Murder, the Hope of Women' was set to music by Hindemith in 1920. Kokoschka began blooming as an artist, particularly in the field of drawing. His paintings betray Impressionist techniques in his impulsive, expressive style in which observation and improvisation are combined to produce a realistic and lyric drama oeuvre. 1923 (and 1947): sojourn in Switzerland. Traveled through Europe (1924-30). Returned to Vienna (1931-33). Prague (1934-38). Fled to London (1938) where he remained until 1952-53. In 1953 he founded the School of Sight in Salzburg and taught there until 1963 at the International Summer Academy. He also created theatre sets for Salzburg and Vienna. Received honors such as the Rome Award in 1959 and the Erasmus Award from Copenhagen in 1960 along with Marc Chagall. From 1953 to his death on February 11, 1980, he lived with his wife Olda Kokoschka in Villeneuve, Switzerland. In 1987, she established the Oskar Kokoscha Foundation at the Musée Jenisch in Vevey, Switzerland.

Kokoschka's rich painterly and graphic work has found world-wide acclaim and is displayed in the most important of collections and museums. His oeuvre includes Expressionist portraits, landscapes and flowers as well as fantastic-dramatic and dreamlike compositions. In his paintings he cultivated a free-flowing, gestural universe of colors which repeatedly revealed the graphic artist in Kokoschka. Among his ample lithograph series are: 1913, Columbus Tied; 1914, O Eternity, You Thunderous Word; 1917, Job; 1963, King Lear. In 1956, his 'Writings, 1907-1955' were published, edited by H.M. Wingler; in 1971, 'Mein Leben' (My Life) appeared; in 1973, poetry and dramatic prose.

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References:

Véronique Mauron: Oskar Kokoschka. Viaggi e figure, Reisen und Figuren. Auswahl der Werke aus der Oskar Kokoschka-Stiftung Musée Jenisch Vevey. Civica Galleria D'Arte Villa dei Cedri Bellinzona 1995;

Hans M. Wingler: Oskar Kokoschka - Das Werk des Malers, Salzburg 1956; Johann Winkler: Oskar Kokoschka. Die Gemälde. Katalog Erling Salzburg;

Registers of works:

Catalogue of Works in Five Volumes: Ernst Rathenau: Oskar Kokoschka. Hand Drawings. N.Y. 1961-1977;

Catalogue raisonnée der Druckgraphik: Hans Wingler: Oskar Kokoschka. Das druckgraphische Werk. Galerie Welz 1975-1981;

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Note:

The references given are not meant as a list of the best works available on the subject, but simply reflect the author's sources.

Registers and catalogues of works are included when known and correspond to the information given in the index.