Theodor von Hörmann - vendere e comprare opere
13 December 1840, Imst (Austria) – 1 July 1895, Graz (Austria)
Although insufficiently recognised during his lifetime, Theodor von Hörmann, an Austrian Impressionist, was discovered as one of the country’s leading artists shortly after his death. A painter of landscapes, he was an individualist and maverick who uncompromisingly pursued is personal approach to art and painting.
It was only around 1870, at over 30 years of age, that he decided to study at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. Before that, he had been a member of the imperial Austrian army and taken part in the Sardinian and German Wars in 1859 and 1866, respectively.
Having completed his studies at the academy under Eduard Peithner von Lichtenfels and Anselm Feuerbach, he began teaching freehand drawing and fencing at the St. Pölten Military Secondary School in 1875. He quit military service in 1884 and devoted himself exclusively to painting.
Von Hörmann encountered Impressionism during his stay in Paris. As a result of lessons in plein air painting he took from Louis-Joseph-Raphaël Collin, he adopted a brighter palette and immersed himself in Japanese art. Having lived in Paris from 1886 to 1890, he first moved to Znojmo and settled in Vienna three years later.
Theodor von Hörmann was known for his powerful colours, which, however, found little favour during his lifetime. When coming under the spell of Emil Jakob Schindler, he modified his style towards the end of his life. Unfortunately, he would not live to see the resulting recognition of his work. Von Hörmann died in Graz soon after becoming a member of the Vienna Künstlerhaus in 1895.
After his death, the young Secessionists placed his name above the entrance of their new building. Theodor von Hörmann is thus also considered to have been a driving force behind the dawning movement of Modernism.