Alfred Haushofer

Alfred Haushofer (* March 16, 1872 in Munich; † July 4, 1943 in Seebruck am Chiemsee) was a German landscape painter, draughtsman and illustrator who became known above all for his depictions of the shores of Lake Chiemsee and the surrounding area. He came from a distinguished Munich family: his father, Max Haushofer Jr. taught as a professor of economics and statistics, while his grandfather Maximilian Haushofer Sr. was a landscape painter. His siblings included the geographer Karl Haushofer and the painter and women’s rights activist Marie Haushofer. The writer and resistance fighter Albrecht Haushofer was his nephew.

After attending the Maximiliansgymnasium in Munich from 1882, Haushofer began studying at the Munich Art Academy in 1891, where he was trained in the nature class under Gabriel Hackl. In 1907, he married Mathilde Luber and settled in Seebruck am Chiemsee after building a house there. Haushofer was artistically deeply rooted in the region and preferred watercolor and tempera techniques for his works in order to depict the landscapes around Lake Chiemsee in soft nuances of color.

During the First World War, Haushofer served as a captain and was awarded the Iron Cross II Class and the Bavarian Order of Military Merit.