Ernst Graner

Ernst Graner (* September 25, 1865, in Werdau, Saxony; † November 27, 1943, in Vienna) was an Austrian watercolorist.

He studied at the Vienna Academy under Eduard von Lichtenfels and began exhibiting landscape paintings at Viennese exhibitions since 1890. Graner is regarded as one of the most significant Viennese watercolorists of his time. His numerous watercolors depict views with rich scenery from Vienna, especially the Hofburg and Schönbrunn Palace with outings of Emperor Franz Joseph. Some of the buildings depicted no longer exist, such as the Vienna Rotunda, the Philipphof, or the Vienna City Theater. In his early period, Graner also painted genre scenes.

Graner was married to Maria Kastler, the daughter of a blacksmith from Klam (Klamschlucht), and spent time there. The portrait Maria in der Schlucht features his wife. A fresco he painted at the blacksmith’s in Klamschlucht, located along the cultural hiking trail August Strindbergweg-Klamschlucht, depicts his father-in-law at work. He was buried in an honorary grave at the Vienna Central Cemetery.

In 1961, Granergasse in Vienna-Liesing (23rd district) was named after him.

Graner’s works are also exhibited in the Historical Museum of the City of Vienna.