Maximilian Franz Viktor Zdenko Marie Kurzweil (12 October 1867, Bisenz – 9 May 1916,

Vienna Vienna ( ; ; ) is the capital city, capital, List of largest cities in Austria, most populous city, and one of Federal states of Austria, nine federal states of Austria. It is Austria's primate city, with just over two million inhabitants. ...

) was an Austrian painter and

printmaker Printmaking is the process of creating artworks by printing, normally on paper, but also on fabric, wood, metal, and other surfaces. "Traditional printmaking" normally covers only the process of creating prints using a hand processed technique ...

. He moved near Vienna in 1879. Maximillian or Max Kurzweil studied at the

Academy of Fine Arts Vienna The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna () is a public art school in Vienna, Austria. Founded in 1688 as a private academy, it is now a public university. The academy is also known for twice rejecting admission to a young Adolf Hitler in 1907 and 1908. ...

with

Christian Griepenkerl Christian Griepenkerl (17 March 1839 – 22 March 1916) was a German painter and professor, best known for rejecting Adolf Hitler's application to train at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Biography Griepenkerl was born to one of Oldenburg (cit ...

and

Leopold Carl Müller Leopold may refer to: People * Leopold (given name), including a list of people named Leopold or Léopold * Leopold (surname) Fictional characters * Leopold (''The Simpsons''), Superintendent Chalmers' assistant on ''The Simpsons'' * Leopold B ...

, and attended the

Académie Julian The () was a private art school for painting and sculpture founded in Paris, France, in 1867 by French painter and teacher Rodolphe Julian (1839–1907). The school was active from 1868 through 1968. It remained famous for the number and qual ...

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

from 1892, where he exhibited his first painting at the Salon in 1894. He was co-founder of the

Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...

in 1897, and editor and illustrator of the influential Secessionist magazine ''

Ver Sacrum ''Ver sacrum'' ("sacred spring") is a religious practice of ancient Italic peoples, especially the Sabelli (or Sabini) and their offshoot Samnites, concerning the dedication of colonies. It was of special interest to Georges Dumézil, according ...

'' (Sacred Spring). Kurzweil was also professor at the Frauenkunstschule, an academy for female artists in Vienna. In 1905, he was awarded the Villa Romana prize. His later works show influence from

Edvard Munch Edvard Munch ( ; ; 12 December 1863 – 23 January 1944) was a Norwegian painter. His 1893 work ''The Scream'' has become one of Western art's most acclaimed images. His childhood was overshadowed by illness, bereavement and the dread of inher ...

and

Ferdinand Hodler Ferdinand Hodler (March 14, 1853 – May 19, 1918) was a Swiss painter. He is one of the best-known Swiss painters of the nineteenth century. His early works were portraits, landscapes, and genre paintings in a realistic style. Later, he ad ...

. As a consequence of private circumstances, made worse by his innate sense of melancholy, he committed suicide in 1916 together with his student and lover, Helene Heger. Despite his relatively short career, Kurzweil belongs to the most significant representatives of the Viennese Secessionist movement (along with

Gustav Klimt Gustav Klimt (14 July 1862 – 6 February 1918) was an Austrian symbolist painter and a founding member of the Vienna Secession movement. His work helped define the Art Nouveau style in Europe. Klimt is known for his paintings, murals, sket ...

Works

* "A dear visitor" (Vienna, private), 1894, oil on cardboard, 24.5 x 30.5 cm * "Woman in a Yellow Dress" (

Vienna Museum The Vienna Museum ( or ''Museen der Stadt Wien'') is a group of museums in Vienna consisting of the museums of the history of the city. In addition to the main building in Karlsplatz, the group includes some locations, numerous specialised museu ...

, Inv. No. 117 376), 1899, oil on canvas * "The letter II" (San Francisco Fine Arts Museum), 1900, lithograph, 19.5 x 22 cm * "The cushion" (Art Gallery of New South Wales), 1903, color woodcut, 28.6 x 26 cm * "Secession XVII. Exhibition" (poster), 1903, color lithograph, 189 x 63.5 cm * "Portrait of a Lady" (Emilie Floege;? Linz, Castle Museum, gift Kastner), c. 1905, oil on canvas, 100 x 70 cm * "Mira Bauer" (Vienna, Austrian Gallery), 1908, oil on canvas, 66 x 52.5 cm * "Bettina Bauer" (Vienna, Austrian Gallery), 1908, oil on canvas, 66 x 52 cm * "Landscape with Saltlick" (Colorado USA, private), c. 1910, watercolor on paper, 30 x 42.5 cm

Literature

* Adolph Paburg: (imilian) "Kurzweil Max". In: ''Austrian Biographical Dictionary 1815–1950'' (ÖBL). Volume 4, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Vienna 1969, p. 369 f. (Direct Links, "p. 369, p. 370) * ''Max Kurzweil 1867 to 1916''. Exhibition catalog. Vienna: Austrian Gallery, 1965 *

Fritz Novotny Fritz Novotny (10 February 1903 in Vienna – 16 April 1983 in Vienna), was an Austrian art historian. He is considered a member of the Vienna School of Art History. Biography Novotny studied art history at the University of Vienna under Jo ...

/ Hubert Adolph: ''Max Kurzweil. Ein Maler der Wiender Sezession''. Vienna: Jugend & Volk, 1969 (in German)

Works

Literature

References

External links