Richard Gerstl (1883–1908) was an Austrian painter and draughtsman known for his expressive and psychologically insightful portraits, his lack of critical acclaim during his lifetime, and his affair with the composer
Arnold Schoenberg's wife. At the
Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Gerstl studied under the notoriously opinionated and difficult
Christian Griepenkerl. He began to reject the style of the
Vienna Secession and what he felt was "pretentious" art. For the summers of 1900 and 1901, Gerstl studied under the guidance of
Simon Hollósy in
Nagybánya. Inspired by the more liberal leanings of
Heinrich Lefler, Gerstl once again attempted formal education. His refusal to participate in a procession in honor of Emperor
Franz Joseph I of Austria further ostracized him and led to his departure; he felt that taking part in such an event was "unworthy of an artist". Gerstl painted this oil-on-canvas laughing
self-portrait in an
Expressionist style in the year of his death by suicide. The painting is now housed in the
Österreichische Galerie Belvedere in Vienna.Painting credit:
Richard Gerstl
Richard Gerstl (1883–1908) was an Austrian painter and draughtsman known for his expressive and psychologically insightful portraits, his lack of critical acclaim during his lifetime, and his affair with the composer
Arnold Schoenberg's wife. At the
Academy of Fine Arts Vienna, Gerstl studied under the notoriously opinionated and difficult
Christian Griepenkerl. He began to reject the style of the
Vienna Secession and what he felt was "pretentious" art. For the summers of 1900 and 1901, Gerstl studied under the guidance of
Simon Hollósy in
Nagybánya. Inspired by the more liberal leanings of
Heinrich Lefler, Gerstl once again attempted formal education. His refusal to participate in a procession in honor of Emperor
Franz Joseph I of Austria further ostracized him and led to his departure; he felt that taking part in such an event was "unworthy of an artist". Gerstl painted this oil-on-canvas laughing
self-portrait in an
Expressionist style in the year of his death by suicide. The painting is now housed in the
Österreichische Galerie Belvedere in Vienna.Painting credit:
Richard Gerstl