early life and education maria lassnig, an austrian artist known for her painted self-portraits and her theory of 'body awareness', was born on september 8, 1919, in kappel am krappfeld, austria. her early life was marked by her mother's troubled relationship with a much older man, leading to lassnig being raised primarily by her grandmother. this complex family dynamic would later influence her artistic themes. lassnig attended the academy of fine arts in vienna during world war ii, where she began to develop her unique style and approach to art. artistic career and contributions maria lassn…