Josef Felsinger

Josef Felsinger

(1908-1972, not confirmed)

Austrian painter, drawer and woodblock artist.

By sheer coincidence unknowingly wandering through the Internet pages and entering a virtual Salzburg University Library I made open a random door and pulled an even randommer drawer.

That drawer possibly has never been opened after WW2. I think. This posting is about what lay hidden.

These 8 woodblockprints were bought by the museum in 1935 directly from the Salzburg artist. I have never seen such colours on such old prints. It's how they are. Not my Photoshop doing.

The strange thing is that you can find some auction-data on the Internet about Josef Felsinger but they are all oil- and watercolour paintings related. Not bad at all, not great art, but most changed ownership and were sold. But no mentioning of any woodblock or linocut printings. And was he good at it !

There is yet another example of Josefs Felsingers printing art and skills ("Gaulandschaft") but that perticular picture wasn't available in the drawer. I will write and ask the librarian to do me a favour. I like to be complete.

I am so amazed about these wonderfull bright colours so different to what old prints usually look like. After a lifetime on a wall and pleasing the owners ofcourse. Everything has its price. Most pre-WW2 images we are used to (except maybe art) are usually black and white. So these bright images giving a very different feeling and atmosphere to that period. The Gentian flowers printed in an unbelievable bleu against the contrasting freshnes of the green and the hazy pinks in the background mountains. It's almost like 3-D. Give it a mouse click and see !

1) Am Arlberg
2) Brautpaar
3) Rosengarten
4) Hohenzalsburg mit Leopoldskronen
5) Besuch im Berghof
6) Berg-Enzian im Wildem Kaiser
7) Pflügende Bauer
8) st. Johann i. T. (im Tirol)

If I am wrong about the obscurity of Josef's woodblock printed art please let me know ! I like to think I opened Pandorra's box and unearthed Josef's wonderfull prints into the light. And that is a hugely satisfying feeling.