Couple by the Lake

Let's go to beautiful Vienna at the beginning of the 20th century and enjoy another masterpiece from the amazing Leopold Museum collection.

Ernst Stöhr grew up in St. Pölten and studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. He was a founding member of the Vienna Secession and a highly productive contributor to the association’s magazine Ver Sacrum. Discernible in all his works is the artist’s attempt to always include his emotional state in his depictions. His works’ symbolic content makes Stöhr one of the main exponents of Austrian Symbolism. A lover of nature, he fled the metropolis for the seclusion of Lake Bohinj in Slovenia.

The depicted couple is leaning over a railing on the lakeshore, their gaze averted, looking into the distance. In this work, Stöhr carried out a fragmentation of color reminiscent of Georges Seurat (1859–1891), whose work he got to know in France. Owing to its vibrant blue and violet hues, the painting conveys a sense of melancholy and wistfulness. Stöhr’s works are characterized by questions about the meaning of life and a reverence for nature.

P.S. If the art of the Vienna Secession fascinates you, take a look at our Vienna Secession Planner featuring works from this remarkable movement.

P.P.S. Here are 10 of the most romantic artworks about love!