Fritz Zerritsch d. J.

_{Vienna 1888 - 1985 Vienna}

The Austrian painter and graphic artist was born in Vienna in 1888 and studied first at the Scheffer School of Painting and from 1905 at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna under Christian Griepenkerl and Alois Delug. The central element of his oeuvre is the animal motif, which, under the influence of Munich impressions during a study visit, is initially still highly stylized and later finally painted in a much more abstract manner. He reduced the animal, so to speak, to what was essential for its species.
In addition to his graphic work, Zerritsch also devoted himself to mosaic pictures, tapestries and frescoes. He designed stamps (series from the Nibelungen saga) and banknotes for the Austrian National Bank. His membership in the Schützengilde der Genossenschaft bildender Künstler Wien led him to design a humorous Schützenscheibe with two baboons on a palm tree as a motif, which is considered one of the last surviving pieces of this kind and can be found in the collection of the gallery at the Albertina.
His work was awarded, among others, the Art Prize of the City of Vienna in 1926, the Honorary Diploma of the Brussels World's Fair in 1935 and the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art in 1961. They are part of the Essl Collection, Klosterneuburg near Vienna and have been exhibited in group shows at MUSA and Leopold Museum, Vienna, among others.