Anton Faistauer
Faistauer is considered one of the most important representatives of modern painting in Austria. Born into a farming family in Salzburg, he initially considered becoming a clergyman. However, an encounter with Albert Paris Gütersloh during his school years sparked his enthusiasm for painting. He began his artistic training privately before enrolling at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. In 1909, he decided to leave the academy and, together with Egon Schiele, Anton Kolig, and Franz Wiegele, founded the "Neukunstgruppe," a protest movement against the conservative orientation of the Vienna Academy. During World War I, Faistauer served in the military and organized exhibitions at the Museum of Military History in Vienna alongside Egon Schiele.
After the war, in 1918, Faistauer moved to Salzburg, where he co-founded the avant-garde artists' group "Der Wassermann" with colleagues such as Felix Harta. A significant turning point in his career came with the commission to create frescoes for the newly built Kleine Festspielhaus in Salzburg. This was followed by other prestigious fresco projects that brought him international recognition. Faistauer's works primarily focused on landscapes, still lifes, and portraits, although he also addressed religious themes. In 1926, he declined a professorship at the Vienna Academy but returned to Vienna in 1927. Despite this, he remained an avid traveler, with Italy being a recurring destination. In addition to his artistic practice, Faistauer also engaged with the theoretical aspects of art, as reflected in his 1923 book Neue Malerei in Österreich (New Painting in Austria). Faistauer's approach to painting was a continuation and development of the Western artistic tradition. He considered himself a follower of Cezanne and felt a closer connection to the painters of the Nötsch Circle than to Klimt and Schiele, whose works he viewed critically. His international fame during his lifetime is evidenced by exhibitions in countries such as Hungary, Germany, the Czech Republic, England, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United States.
