Sebastian Isepp

_{Nötsch im Gailtal 1884 - 1954 London}

Sebastian Isepp was born in Nötsch, in Carinthia, in 1884. After finishing school he studied at Vienna’s Akademie der bildenden Künste (Academy of Fine Arts) from 1903 till 1907, where he met Egon Schiele and Oskar Kokoschka. Influenced by symbolism at first, his style became more and more realistic. Between 1908 and 1919 Isepp participated in many notable exhibitions of the Vienna Secession and became, together with Schiele and Kokoschka, a member of the so called "Neukunstgruppe". Furthermore, he was represented at important international exhibitions as well, for instance, in Rome, Zurich or Dresden. Sebastian Isepp’s artistic interest was not solely focused on painting but also touched on sculpture and works of applied arts.
During the period of 1915 till 1918 the artist was stationed at the Italian front where he was gravely wounded. Back home in Nötsch after the war Isepp abandoned his artistic career, due to his injuries. In the 1920s Isepp worked as a restorer, heading the conservation department at Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum. After Austria’s annexation in 1938 Isepp and his family had to flee to Britain because of his wife’s Jewish ancestry. In 1947 he adopted the British citizenship. He worked as restorer in London until his death in 1954.