A Life of Artistic Pursuit
Ernst Stöhr was an Austrian painter, graphic artist, writer, and amateur musician. Born in Sankt Pölten, he displayed an early aptitude for painting, poetry, and music. His formal artistic training began in 1877 at the University of Applied Arts Vienna, though he later transitioned to the Academy of Fine Arts to study under Carl Rudolf Huber and August Eisenmenger. Seeking to move beyond the Romantic style favored by his teachers, Stöhr eventually became a founding member of the Vienna Secession in 1897, alongside seventeen other artists. He was a regular contributor to Ver Sacrum, the official publication of the group.
His creative output extended into various mediums and roles. He designed the façade for the Stöhr-Haus in Sankt Pölten and later experimented with printing techniques after purchasing his own printing press. In 1902, he contributed the preface for the catalog of the Beethovenausstellung. His later works often reflected a sense of melancholy, dealing with themes of death and hopeless situations.
Personal History and Legacy
In 1898, Stöhr married Friederike and opened a studio in Bohinj, Slovenia. During his career, he also experimented with printing techniques by purchasing his own printing press and was invited to become a guest member of the Hagenbund. His contributions to the Vienna Secession were significant, including writing the preface for the 1902 Beethoven exhibition and contributing heavily to the 12th issue of Ver Sacrum.
The later years of his life were characterized by profound personal loss and depression following the deaths of his uncle, mother, and father. As World War I reached the war zone of Bohinj, his paintings began to reflect increasing despair, often dealing with hopeless situations and death. Following a hospital stay in Tulln an der Donau, he returned to Sankt Pölten, where he ended his life in the family home.
