Heinrich Lefler (7 November 1863, in

Vienna en, Viennese , iso_code = AT-9 , registration_plate = W , postal_code_type = Postal code , postal_code = , timezone = CET , utc_offset = +1 , timezone_DST ...

– 14 March 1919, in Vienna) was an Austrian painter, graphic artist and

stage designer Scenic design (also known as scenography, stage design, or set design) is the creation of theatrical, as well as film or television scenery. Scenic designers come from a variety of artistic backgrounds, but in recent years, are mostly trai ...

. His father was the painter Franz Lefler.

Life and work

From 1880 to 1884, he studied at the

Academy of Fine Arts Vienna The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna (german: link=no, Akademie der bildenden Künste Wien) is a public art school in Vienna, Austria. History The Academy of Fine Arts Vienna was founded in 1692 as a private academy modelled on the Accademia di Sa ...

under

Christian Griepenkerl Christian Griepenkerl (17 March 1839 – 22 March 1916) was a German painter and professor at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna. Biography Griepenkerl was born to one of Oldenburg's leading families. As a young man, he heeded the advice of his ...

and, from 1884, at the Academy of Fine Arts Munich under

Nikolaus Gysis Nikolaos Gyzis ( el, Νικόλαος Γύζης ; german: Nikolaus Gysis; 1 March 1842 – 4 January 1901) was considered one of Greece's most important 19th century painters. He was most famous for his work '' Eros and the Painter'', his first ...

and

Wilhelm von Diez Albrecht Christoph Wilhelm von Diez (17 January 1839, Bayreuth – 25 February 1907, Munich) was a German painter and illustrator of the Munich School. Life He attended a trade school in Munich, followed by the Polytechnic School (precursor of ...

. In 1891, he became a member of the Society of Austrian Artists and, in 1900, was a founding member of the

Hagenbund The Hagenbund or Künstlerbund Hagen was a group of Austrian artists that formed in 1899. The group's name derived from the name Herr Hagen, the proprietor of an inn in Vienna which they frequented. Early history The group's most prominent member ...

. From 1900 to 1903, he was an assistant to

Anton Brioschi Anton Brioschi (30 November 1855, Vienna - 31 August 1920, Vienna) was an Austrian painter, scenic designer and graphic artist. His non-theatrical works were mostly landscapes and marine art. Life and work His father, Carlo Brioschi, was a ...

, the head designer at the

Vienna State Opera The Vienna State Opera (, ) is an opera house and opera company based in Vienna, Austria. The 1,709-seat Renaissance Revival venue was the first major building on the Vienna Ring Road. It was built from 1861 to 1869 following plans by August ...

, following which he became a professor at the Academy until 1910. While at the Vienna Opera, he designed a set for the

Metropolitan Opera The Metropolitan Opera (commonly known as the Met) is an American opera company based in New York City, resident at the Metropolitan Opera House at Lincoln Center, currently situated on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The company is oper ...

and shipped the pieces to New York. Besides the time spent in his formal occupations, he spent a great deal of time in Weißenbach an der Triesting with his father and his brother-in-law,

Joseph Urban Joseph Urban (May 26, 1872 – July 10, 1933) was an Austrian-American architect, illustrator, and scenic designer. Life and career Joseph Urban was born on May 26, 1872, in Vienna. He received his first architectural commission at age 19 wh ...

, a fellow scenic designer, where they painted murals on villas and hotels, designed invitation cards for summer festivals and, with librettist Camillo Walzel, staged theatrical productions for children. The team of Lefler and Urban created many public events as well, including the 1905 Schiller Festival parade and a procession along the

Ringstraße The Vienna Ring Road (german: Ringstraße, lit. ''ring road'') is a 5.3 km (3.3 mi) circular grand boulevard that serves as a ring road around the historic Innere Stadt (Inner Town) district of Vienna, Austria. The road is located on sites where ...

in 1908, on the occasion of the Emperor's 60th Jubilee. Lefler also designed banknotes, financial warrants and promotional posters for several companies, including Auerlicht and Krupp. Many of Lefler's costumes and stage designs have been preserved in the

Max Reinhardt Max Reinhardt (; born Maximilian Goldmann; 9 September 1873 – 30 October 1943) was an Austrian-born theatre and film director, intendant, and theatrical producer. With his innovative stage productions, he is regarded as one of the most pro ...

Collection at Harvard.Max Reinhardt Collection of Viennese Costume and Design
/ref> In 1903, he married opera singer Mina Wiesmüller, who modeled the portrait that appears in his design for the 1000

Kronen Kronen Brauerei, also known as Private Brewery Dortmund Kronen, was one of the oldest brewery, breweries in Westphalia and has its headquarters at the Old Market in Dortmund. The company was able to look back on more than 550 years of brewing ...

banknote. In 1932, a street in Vienna,

Donaustadt Donaustadt (; literally, Danube City; Central Bavarian: ''Donaustod'') is the 22nd district of Vienna, Austria (german: 22. Bezirk, Donaustadt). Donaustadt is the eastern district of Vienna.Statistik Austria, 2007, webpage statistik.at-23450. ...

was renamed the "Heinrich-Lefler-Gasse" in his honor.

References

External links

*

Illustrations from "Die Prinzessin und die Schweinehirt" (The Princess and the Pigman, by Hans Christian Andersen), 1897

Archiv des Triestingtaler Heimatmuseums Weissenbach
Bernhard Denscher: Heinrich Lefler
{{DEFAULTSORT:Lefler, Heinrich 1863 births 1919 deaths Austrian illustrators Austrian scenic designers Academy of Fine Arts Vienna alumni Lohengrin

Life and work

References

Further reading

External links