Viktor Planckh

1904 - 1941

Essentials

  • Top-ranked work: The Artist's Wife with Flowers
  • Lifespan: 37 years
  • Typical colors: earthy
  • Art period: Modern
  • Top 3 works:
    • The Artist's Wife with Flowers
    • Guesthouse in the Suburb
    • Still Life with Fish

The Life and Art of Viktor Planckh

Born in Opava, Czech Republic, Viktor Planckh was a painter, graphic artist, sculptor, and illustrator. His artistic journey began at the Kunstgewerbeschule Wien, where he studied under instructors such as Viktor Schufinsky, Adolf Boehm, Franz Cizek, and Bertold Löffler. Following his studies, he became a member of the Hagenbund, participating in their exhibitions from 1927 to 1938.

His creative output was diverse, encompassing oil paintings, watercolors, gouaches, and ink drawings, as well as sculptures in terracotta and bronze. His work often focused on figure compositions, portraits, still lifes, landscapes, and nudes. His compositions were characterized by clarity and simplicity, often adopting a style described as sachlich. In his landscape paintings from 1927 onwards, he utilized a Neoclassical style, while some of his compositions took on the character of a medieval-naive perspective.

Travels and Later Years

Planckh’s career was marked by extensive travel. He visited Paris in 1926, Italy in 1927, and traveled through Budapest, Belgrade, and Saloniki to reach Athens in 1929. He also spent time in the United States, exhibiting in New York and Philadelphia, and traveled to the Soviet Union, where he created his "Russian Folder."

In 1931, he contributed to the "Das neue Fresko" exhibition in Salzburg, creating the cartoon "Obsternte" in Grödig. Later in life, he moved into his own studio and house, known as the Fuchsbau, in Wien-Pötzleinsdorf. In 1941, he was called up to the Wehrmacht as a driver and sent to Greece, where he documented the campaign through gouaches. He died in Athens in 1941.

Questions & Answers

Where can I see Viktor Planckh's artworks in chronological order?

A timeline of Viktor Planckh's works exists: the artist's Artwork Timeline page orders the artworks by creation date.

Can I study Viktor Planckh's use of color across all works?

The color profile of Viktor Planckh's work is shown on the artist's Palette Genome page.

What moods do Viktor Planckh's artworks express?

The artist's Mood Room page shows Viktor Planckh's artworks arranged by their atmosphere.

Where are Viktor Planckh's artworks organized by color?

The Spectral Index of Viktor Planckh is a page that organizes the artist's artworks by their colors.

Test your eye

There is only one correct answer for each question.

Question 1:
In which city was Viktor Planckh born?
Question 2:
Which art movement is Viktor Planckh associated with?
Question 3:
Between which years was Viktor Planckh an active member of the Hagenbund?
Question 4:
In which country did Viktor Planckh die in 1941?
Question 5:
Which of these was a subject matter preferred by the artist?