Josef Kinzel

Josef Kinzel, born on May 4, 1852 in Lobenstein in Austrian Silesia and died on August 4, 1925 in Spitz an der Donau, was an Austrian artist who devoted himself to landscape and genre painting.

His artistic training took him to the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna, where he studied under the guidance of Eduard von Engerth, Karl von Blaas, Carl Wurzinger and August Eisenmenger. From October 25, 1879, he continued his studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Munich under the supervision of Alois Gabl and Otto Seitz.

In 1883 he was appointed a member of the Vienna Künstlerhaus. From 1900, he began his exploration of the Wachau region of Lower Austria, starting in Joching and later in Weißenkirchen from 1905 and finally in Spitz an der Donau from 1919.

Kinzel concentrated mainly on genre painting, although he also created landscape paintings. His works were widely published in the form of woodcuts.

His artistic achievement was recognized by the award of the small Golden State Medal in 1903, and he received the prestigious Drasche Prize in 1910.

Not to be forgotten is his daughter Elisabeth Hermine (Liesl) Kinzel, who was born in Vienna on May 18, 1886 and died in Spitz an der Donau on July 19, 1961. She followed in her father’s footsteps and also became a talented painter.