Oskar Kokoschka

Oskar Kokoschka was born on 1st March 1886 in Pöchlarn at the river Danube, Lower Austria. Soon after his family moved to Vienna, he started studying at the School of Arts and Crafts in 1904. In 1907 he became a member of the Wiener Werkstätte until 1909 and was influenced by his professor Carl Otto Czeschka in developing an original style. His friend and mentor was Adolf Loos. Through him, Oskar Kokoschka got to know Herwarth Walden, the editor of the magazine “Der Sturm” and founder of the gallery of the same name. Both were notably important for the spread of expressionism, cubism and futurism. They worked together until 1916. Since 1912, Oskar Kokoschka participated at the "Internationale Kunstausstellung des Sonderbundes" in Köln, but also in Zürich, Budapest, München and Stuttgart. From 1917 to 1923 Kokoschka lived in Dresden. He got a professorship at the Academy in Dresden in 1919 but due to his many travels he was often absent. From 1934 to 1938, Oskar Kokoschka worked in Praque. On 19th July 1937, the exhibition "Entartete Kunst“ was opened in Munich in the art museum „ Haus der Kunst“. Eight of his works were denounced there. In October 1938, Oskar Kokoschka fled the National Socialism and went to London, where he became member of the "Free German League of Culture", the "Freien Deutschen Kulturbund" and the "Free Austrian Movement". In July 1953, the "Internationale Schule des Sehens" was founded in Salzburg. His last residence was in Villeneuve at the Lake Geneva. He died on 22th February 1980.