Biography

Norbertine Bresslern-Roth was a painter, printmaker and book illustrator known for pioneering the linocut print technique. Famous for her depictions of animal life, Bresslern-Roth's artistic talent was evident from a young age. She studied at the Graz Landeskunstschule art school, later taking summer tuition under the impressionist artist Hans von Hayek before moving on to Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. Here, she met Georg Ritter von Bresslern und Sternau, whom she married in 1919. The same year, she became a member of the Werkbundes Freiland group, and in 1936 she was awarded the Austrian State Prize. Bresslern-Roth's colourful, dynamic prints and paintings of animals were greatly influenced by regular visits to the zoo, and a 1928 trip to North Africa, providing her with the opportunity to see exotic creatures in their natural habitat. Her work remains vibrant and highly sought-after to the present day.