Josef Benedikt Engl
Josef Benedikt Engl (1876-1907) was a german artist and painter. He was born in Schallmoos near Salzburg in 1867 and spent his formative years in the cultural backdrop of Munich. After completing his school education, he began an apprenticeship as a lithographer and honed his craft in a lithography studio, where he learned the finer points of graphic design.
His artistic talent led him to take the entrance examination to the School of Arts and Crafts in 1885, where he continued his studies for three years. During this time, he created works such as advertising drawings and designs for “coffee pictures”. After completing his studies, he found employment as a modeller at the renowned “Kunstanstalt Schacherl”, which specialized in the production of travel souvenirs made of plaster.
In 1888, Engl began his career as a contributor to the “Radfahr-Humor” and the “Süddeutscher Postillon”. His drawings were first published in the “Fliegende Blätter” in 1894, which marked the beginning of a long and successful collaboration with the “Simplicissimus” in 1896.
In his works, Engl portrayed everyday life in Munich, from the quirky characters of the suburbs to the regulars of the Hofbräuhaus. His drawings reflected the diversity of Bavarian life, from country priests to the Bavarian military and nobility. As the only Munich native among the illustrators of “Simplicissimus”, he lent the magazine an unmistakable local color.
Engl’s art was characterized by a skilful combination of social criticism and humour, whereby the humorous aspect always predominated. In the early years of his career, he also took a clear political stance and warned of the consequences of war and revolution, which he equated with chaos and anarchy.
As one of the few contributors to “Simplicissimus” who wrote their own texts, Engl created a direct link between word and image, whereby both elements complemented and reinforced each other. His techniques ranged from charcoal drawing to pen and ink, opening up an impressive range of expressive possibilities.