Franz Skarbina German impressionist painter, graphic artist and illustrator Date of Birth: 24.02.1849 Country: Germany

Biography of Franz Skarbina

Franz Skarbina was a German artist, graphic designer, and illustrator. Born into a jeweler's family in Zagreb, Skarbina studied at the Berlin Academy of Fine Arts from 1865 to 1869. After completing his studies, he opened his first art studio in Berlin in 1869. Skarbina then worked as a private tutor from 1869 to 1871 before embarking on a journey to Dresden, Vienna, Venice, Munich, Nuremberg, and Merano.

In 1877, Skarbina traveled to the Netherlands, Belgium, and France to further his artistic education. It was in Paris where he was influenced by the Impressionists and began painting scenes of city life, salons, restaurants, and beach landscapes. In 1878, Skarbina became a teacher at the Berlin Academy and, in 1881, he took charge of the department of anatomical drawing at the School of Applied Arts in Berlin.

From 1882 to 1886, Skarbina lived mainly in Paris, where he exhibited his paintings at the Paris Salon starting from 1883. During this period, he created a significant number of his artworks and also traveled to North Africa, Belgium, and the Netherlands. In 1888, Skarbina became a professor at the Academy of Fine Arts. In 1889, he participated in an art exhibition commemorating the centenary of the French Revolution. In 1892, Skarbina became a member of the Academy of Arts and was elected to its senate in 1904.

In 1892, Skarbina, together with Walter Leistikow and Max Liebermann, founded the Berlin art group "The Eleven". In 1893, he left his teaching position to focus on his artistic career and traveled again to France and the Netherlands. Skarbina played a significant role in the establishment of the Berlin Secession movement in 1898 and later returned to the "Union of Berlin Artists" in 1902.

Throughout his career, Skarbina received numerous awards, including the Small Gold Medal at the Great Berlin Art Exhibition in 1891 and the Great Gold Medal at the same exhibition in 1905.