Early Life and Artistic Education
Born in Munich, Germany, Josef Steiner began his artistic journey as a child, showing a strong preference for drawing in school. His formal training began at the age of fourteen at the Städtische Gewerbeschule in Munich, where he studied sculpture under Karl Killer and painting under Hans Fleischmann. Following the First World War, he attended the Bayerische Akademie der Bildenden Künste in Munich, focusing on portraiture, figure studies, landscapes, and animal studies. Seeking a more progressive direction, he moved to Berlin, where he studied at the Akademische Hochschule für die Bildenden Künste. It was there that he became a student of Karl Hofer, who became his most significant teacher and shaped his development in Expressionism and expressive realism.
The Berlin Years and Later Career
During his time in Berlin, Steiner became a member of the Berliner Secession and exhibited alongside prominent artists of the era. His work during this period included:
After being classified as a "degenerate" artist by the NS regime and facing imprisonment, Steiner later returned to Munich. From 1955, he engaged deeply with Präinformel and Informel art, marking an artistic comeback. His later works included modern landscapes and portraits in a post-expressionist style.
Questions & Answers
How did Josef Steiner's art evolve over time?
The Chronicle of Josef Steiner is a scroll-driven timeline that presents the artist's works in chronological order, grouped into career-period chapters.
Is there a complete list of Josef Steiner's artworks?
Every work by Josef Steiner on this website can be browsed from the artist's All Artworks page.
What colors did Josef Steiner use most often?
The Palette Genome of Josef Steiner is a page that presents the color profile of the artist's body of work.
What are the birthplace and birth year of Josef Steiner?
Josef Steiner was born in Munich in 1899.
