Stohr-Couple - A painting of a man and a woman looking out over a lake

Karl Stoehr (1864-1917), an Austrian painter born into an artistic family, had a turbulent journey marked by academic discontent, artistic evolution and profound personal tragedy. Growing up in a family of artists, Stöhr's talents in painting, poetry and music created a dilemma about his artistic path. He opted for painting and in 1877 began studies at the University of Applied Arts in Vienna. Dissatisfied with the formal training, he transferred to the Academy of Fine Arts in 1879, where he was challenged by the Romantic style. Financial difficulties brought him back to Vienna in 1887. In 1895 Stöhr organised a successful exhibition that broke with academic traditions. The following year he joined the Vienna Secession, a movement led by Gustav Klimt. As a contributor to Ver Sacrum, Stöhr became a key member of the Secession and designed the Stöhr House in 1898. The early 1900s brought profound losses that triggered severe depression. Stöhr sought solace in religion and philosophy to cope with the emotional toll. World War I in 1915 exacerbated the despair, and his paintings reflected a deepening obsession with death. Briefly hospitalised in 1917 for deteriorating mental health, Stöhr returned to Sankt Pölten after his release. Faced with worsening depression, he tragically hanged himself in the family kitchen. Stöhr's life, marked by artistic exploration and profound loss, epitomises the complex relationship between an artist's journey and his creations. His contributions to the Vienna Secession, though overshadowed by tragedy, are a poignant reminder of this complex interplay.