photograph courtesy of Elen Farkas

Who is Marie-Louise von Motesiczky?

This is the question posed by a retrospective exhibition of many of the artist’s works at the Wien Museum, now through May 5. Though von Motesiczky was born in Austria, she spent most of her life outside of the country; along the way, she was very nearly forgotten by the Austrian public.

The painter was born in Vienna in 1906. She left school at the tender age of 13 and was already attending art classes in Europe—in Vienna and Paris—exhibiting only once in 1933. When Adolf Hitler declared the dreaded Anschluß in 1938, she and her mother quickly left Austria. They left behind a brother who perished at Auschwitz. After the war she quickly made her name in the visual arts world in her adopted city of London. It was during this time that von Motesiczky also met writer and Nobel Prize winner Elias Canetti, who served as her companion for three decades.

For more than 70 years she painted and displayed her collection of works in different galleries and in different cities. In 1994, already established as one of the most important Austrian painters in the 20th century, the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere held a special exhibition to honor her. Two years after this recognition she died peacefully.

Find out more about Marie-Louise von Motesiczky by visiting Wien Museum at Karlsplatz, 1040 Vienna, open Tuesday to Sunday and public holidays from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. General admission is €6, though groups, senior citizens, students, and the unemployed can count on reduced admission. Cheapo tip: entrance to the general collection is gratis every other Sunday.

Popularity: 6% [?]