A Life of Artistic Versatility
Ernst Graef was a German-Austrian painter, graphic artist, craftsman, and draftsperson. Born in Leipzig, Germany, he studied at the Staatliche Akademie für Graphische Künste und Buchgewerbe in Leipzig from 1927 to 1930, where he was a master student of Willi Geiger. His early travels included stays in Ascona and Paris between 1932 and 1934. Following these years, he lived and worked in Berlin, where he married his first wife, Ruth. During this period, he contributed to the artistic decoration of prestigious buildings in Berlin and Munich on behalf of architects.
In 1941, he moved to Rennweg am Katschberg in Oberkärnten. After the war, he acquired Austrian citizenship in 1948. He later lived in Kranzlhofen, a part of Velden am Wörther See, from 1959. His travels took him to the Mediterranean, Lithuania, Belgium, France, and the Baltic Sea. In 1969, he married the children's book illustrator Marianne Scheel, with whom he had previously worked on book illustrations in the 1930s.
Artistic Range and Recognition
Graef's body of work is extensive and diverse, encompassing various media such as oil, chalk, charcoal, ink, and lithography. His subjects included:
In the 1950s, he was a sought-after designer for the interior and exterior walls of residential and public buildings in his adopted home of Carinthia. His monumental works included glass windows for the Tempelhof airport in Berlin, wall tapestries for the Reich Air Ministry, and frescoes in the Klagenfurt Music Association building. His later paintings from the 1970s and 1980s were acquired by institutions such as the Austrian Gallery Belvedere and the Neue Galerie Graz. His late work from 1980 onwards became increasingly minimalist and abstract.
Questions & Answers
Can I sort Ernst Graef's artworks by color?
Ernst Graef's works can be explored by color on the artist's Spectral Index page.
How do I find works by Ernst Graef in a specific palette?
The By Palettes page groups Ernst Graef's artworks by their color palettes.
Can I explore Ernst Graef's works by subject?
The Subject Atlas of Ernst Graef is a page that maps the artist's artworks by their subjects.
What are the birthplace and birth year of Ernst Graef?
Ernst Graef was born in Leipzig in 1909.
