Luigi Kasimir

Alois Heinrich Kasimir, known as Luigi Kasimir (1881–1962), was an Austro-Hungarian-born etcher, painter, printmaker and landscape artist. He was an early member of the Nazi party, and stood trial after World War II.

Personal life Kasimir was born in 1881 at Pettau, today Ptuj, Slovenia, then a part of the Austro-Hungarian monarchy. His grandfather was a painter and a poet, and his father an officer in the Habsburg army, who later became a professional painter. Kasimir attended the Vienna Academy of Art where he studied under William Unger, who introduced him to the technique of the colored etching, and also to his future wife, Tanna Hoernes (1887–1972), also an artist.

Techniques Kasimir was among the first to develop the technique of the colored etching. Before this, prints were usually hand-colored with the color being applied in a casual, haphazard manner. Kasimir would first create a sketch, usually in pastel. He then transferred the design onto as many as four to six plates, printing one after the other and applying the color on the plate by hand.

Genres

Kasimir is mainly famous for his etchings, but he also produced some oil painting, as well as some pastels. One of his favourite genres was the landscape, or veduta, especially monuments, street scenes, and tourist landmarks. He depicted places from all over Europe, especially Italy, Austria, and Germany. He also travelled to the United States to do a series of etchings of famous sights ranging from urban landmarks such as New York City skyscrapers to natural wonders like Yosemite Valley. Luigi Kasimir's etchings can be seen in many galleries and museums, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

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