Experience the Art of Oskar Kokoschka
Oskar Kokoschka, a pioneer of expressionism, captured the essence of human emotion through his vibrant and evocative paintings. Discover the profound beauty and depth of his work that continues to inspire generations.
Visionary
The Life and Legacy of Oskar Kokoschka
Oskar Kokoschka was a pioneering expressionist painter known for his emotive brushwork and vibrant colors. His work challenged conventions and captured the essence of human experience, making him a significant figure in 20th-century art.
The collection
Three paintings, three lives
Each work opens onto a moment of the painter’s life — and onto the century that shaped it.
Start with the best known of the three: Self-Portrait with a Cigarette by Oskar Kokoschka, painted between 1935 and 1936.
Self-Portrait with a Cigarette
The painter face to face with himself, in the Europe of the 1930s.
Self-Portrait with Doll
The doll made in the image of Alma Mahler, and a portrait of obsession.
Portrait of Konrad Adenauer
The first Chancellor of West Germany, at the end of his political life.
Further reading
- Self-Portrait with a Cigarette: Kokoschka or Munch?
- Oskar Kokoschka: Biography of the Austrian Expressionist
- Alma Mahler and the Doll: the Story Behind Kokoschka’s Self-Portrait
Frequently asked questions
Who was Oskar Kokoschka?
Oskar Kokoschka (1886–1980) was an Austrian expressionist painter, draughtsman and playwright, born in Pöchlarn and died in Montreux.
What are Oskar Kokoschka’s best-known paintings?
This site presents three: Self-Portrait with a Cigarette (1935–1936), Self-Portrait with Doll (1920) and Portrait of Konrad Adenauer (1966). Among his other famous works is The Bride of the Wind (1913–1914).
Is Self-Portrait with a Cigarette by Kokoschka or by Munch?
Both painters made a work with that title: Munch in 1895, Kokoschka in 1935–1936. They are different paintings.
Which movement was Kokoschka part of?
Expressionism.