Luigi Kasimir (1881-1962)

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Austrian-born etcher and painter, Luigi Kasimir was born in 1881 in Pettau, a part of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. His father, a renowned painter, greatly inspired his son. Luigi’s grandfather, a notable painter and poet, also fed Luigi’s passion for art and nature. Kasimir attended the Vienna Academy of Art where he studied under William Unger, who introduced him to the technique of the colored etching.

 

Up until this point, prints were usually hand colored with the color being applied in a casual, haphazard manner. Kasimir was a pioneer in the colored etching technique. He started with a sketch, usually in pastel, and then transferred the design on as many as four to six plates. He printed one after the other and applied the color on the plate--all done by hand. 

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He eventually married an artist named Tanna Hoernes.

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Luigi Kasimir’s etchings can be seen in many galleries and museums, from the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art to countless galleries and fine print collections around the world.

He designed a bookplate for Sigmund Freud, who also hung an etching of the Roman Forum by Kasimir in his consulting room.

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Luigi Kasimir died in Grinzing, Vienna in 1962.

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Biography adapted from the Kasimir Museum biography.

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