Oskar Kokoschka
Oskar Kokoschka trained at the Vienna school of Arts and Crafts from 1905 - 1909. Significant to his development was the artistic climate in Austria, including the recent introduction to Art Nouveau, the work of Gustave klimpt and the existence of the craft workshops "Weiner Werkstatte". In response, Kokoschka produced lithographs and posters that revealed his strong graphic sense. He began exhibiting in 1908. From the beginning he imbued his expressionist style with highly original imagination. The drawings he contributed to Berlins Avant-Garde Der Sturm journal bear testimony to this. From 1919 tio 1924 he taught at Dresden Academy. After recovering from wounds inflicted during the war Kokoschka travelled in Europe and North America and Prague. He moved to England in 1938. Ambassador Ivan Maisky was the soviet Ambassador in London from 1932 to 1943.
Typical of Kokoschkas so-called "Psychological portraits", the essence of the sitters personality is extracted with a frenetic play of colourful brush marks, seemingly assembled on the canvas at random. This fresh, apparently spontaneous approach injects vitality in to his subjects.
Kokoschkas land and cityscapes, often seen from a high view point, are equally memorable.
text: The A-Z of Art, Nicola Hodge and Libby Anson.
Images: google images.
