The Painterʼs Wife with a Glass of Wine, 1919

Born a farmer’s son in the Pinzgau region near Salzburg, Anton Faistauer (1887–1930) succeeded in becoming one of the pioneers of modern painting in Austria. However, his approach to Modernism was not about tearing down bridges; instead it always aimed to continue the great Western tradition of painting. The work of Paul Cézanne (1839–1906) was particularly significant for him. In looking at Faistauer’s pictures, which radiate peace and harmony, it is not immediately obvious that the painter studied theory more intensively than almost any other painter of his generation. His imagery is defined almost entirely by the paint itself, applied with an opulent impasto technique. The painting The Painterʼs Wife with a Glass of Wine shows that during World War I, Faistauer was increasingly engaged with French Impressionism, especially the work of Auguste Renoir (1841–1919). However, unlike his role models, he tried to put the play of colors into the service of form and developed a painting style that is dense and full of movement.

SK, 2019