Updated November 2026 · ranked by our popularity score (searches, visits and orders for each work) · 68 works by Richard Gerstl in our catalogue
In short
Self-Portrait Laughing (1907) is the Richard Gerstl painting that draws the most eyes. After it, the eye goes to Grinzing (1906) and Mathilde Schoenberg in Garden (1908). Among the 68 works of Richard Gerstl in our catalog, these 68 are the most famous, each a unique original presented with its year, its museum and the reason it endures.
The canvas holds a moment of intense, unbridled emotion in Richard Gerstl's 1907 work, Self-Portrait Laughing. This oil on canvas captures the artist himself, presenting a face that seems to break free from the constraints of traditional likeness. It is a piece that belongs firmly to the Expressionism movement, where the internal state of the individual takes precedence over the mere imitation of the physical world. The man stares out,…
The painting presents a rural landscape characterized by rolling hills covered in dense green vegetation. In the foreground, trees bearing white blossoms suggest a springtime setting. A dirt road winds through the lower portion of the composition, leading the eye toward a small village situated in a valley. This settlement contains several structures, including a building with a prominent steeple. The color palette is dominated by various shades of green…
The scene unfolds in Mathilde Schoenberg in Garden, a work that captures a fleeting moment of presence within a lush, sun-drenched setting. Painted by Richard Gerstl, the image places Mathilde Schoenberg at the center of a quiet, outdoor world. She exists here in a moment of stillness, her figure turned away from the viewer as she stands near a bright yellow wall. The air feels heavy with the weight of…
Small Self-Portrait by Richard Gerstl, created about 1906, presents a close-up study of a single male figure. The subject is positioned slightly off-center, focusing the viewer's attention on the head and upper shoulders. He looks directly toward the viewer, his gaze meeting the observer with a melancholic and introspective expression.
Created in 1907, this portrait emerged during a period of significant shift in Austrian art. The artist, Richard Gerstl, moved away from the academic traditions of the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts, opting instead for a raw and psychological approach to portraiture. The composition conveys a somber and melancholic tone. The combination of the dark, muted tones and the heavy, agitated texture of the paint contributes to an introspective atmosphere.…
The artwork titled Self-Portrait is a work by the artist Richard Gerstl. Created in 1907, this piece presents a close-up view of the artist's own face. The subject matter is a self-portrait, focusing on the head and shoulders of the man. The composition is cropped tightly, centering the gaze of the subject within the frame.
Self-Portrait is a work by the Austrian artist Richard Gerstl. Created in 1908, this piece represents a moment in the final year of the artist's life. Gerstl was born in Vienna, Austria, in 1883 and remained in Vienna until his death in 1908.
In this 1907 self-portrait, we are invited into a space of profound psychological immediacy. The work is a monochromatic study, rendered in what appears to be charcoal or graphite on paper, where the artist confronts the viewer through a tightly cropped, intense gaze. There is a certain agitation in the way the face is constructed; rather than smooth transitions of light and shadow, we see a dense, chaotic layering of…
The Self-Portrait by Richard Gerstl captures a moment of intense, singular focus. This work, dated about 1908, presents a close-up study of the artist's own features. The subject's gaze is fixed and heavy, pressing against the surface of the paper. It is a quiet confrontation between the creator and the charcoal.
is a work by the Austrian painter Richard Gerstl. Created in 1907, the piece captures the artist during a period of intense stylistic development in Vienna, Austria. Gerstl, born in Vienna in 1883, was a central figure in the early development of Expressionism, a movement that prioritized the subjective experience of the individual over traditional representation.
Fragment of a Self-Portrait1908
12
Self-Portrait1908
13
Alexander von Zemlinsky1908 · Kunsthaus Zug
14
Self-Portrait with Palette1907
15
Seated Woman in green dress1908
16
Portrait of a Gentleman1907
17
Portrait of Mother, Maria Gerstl, unfinished1908 · Kunsthaus Zug
18
Small street (Nußdorferstraße)1908
19
Anna Baumer1902
20
Fragment of a smiling self-portrait at full length1904
21
The Fey Sisters (Karoline ^ Pauline)1905
22
Waldemar Unger I1903
23
Fragment of a smiling self-portrait at full length, detail1904
24
Self-portrait in front of blue background1905 · Leopold Museum
25
Waldemar Unger II1903
26
Carl Zentzytzki1902
27
Lakeside Road near Gmunden1907 · Leopold Museum
28
Flower Meadow with Trees1907 · Kunsthaus Zug
29
Room1908
30
Mathilde in the studio1908
31
Liechtenstein Palace1907
32
Ernst Diez I1906
33
Tree on Lake Traun1907 · Kunsthaus Zug
34
Seated Female Nude1908
35
View of the park1908 · Leopold Museum
36
Portrait of Arnold Schonberg1906
37
Tree with Ladder1907 · Kunsthaus Zug
38
Smaragda Berg1907
39
Portrait of Henryka Cohn1908 · Leopold Museum
40
Fruit Tree1907
41
Portrait of a Young Woman with Feather Hat1906
42
Mathilde Schoenberg II1907
43
The road (theme from Nussdorf)1907
44
Small Traunsee Landscape1907
45
Meadow with Houses in Background1907
46
Half-length portrait of Mathilde Schoenberg1908
47
Woman with Feathered Hat1907
48
Emile Gerstl (father)1906 · Leopold Museum
49
Self-portrait with Blue Spotted Background1907
50
Tree in the garden1907
51
Mother and Daughter1906
52
On the Danube Canal1907 · Leopold Museum
53
Portrait of a seated man1908
54
Study of tree1907 · Leopold Museum
55
Orchard1907
56
Double Portrait (green background)1908
57
Portrait of a Lieutenant (Alois Gerstl)1906 · Leopold Museum
58
Double portrait of Matilda and Gertrude Schonberg1906
59
Nude in Garden1908
60
Railway to the Kahlenberg1907
61
Portrait of a gentleman (green background)1908
62
Landscape study1907
63
Group portrait with Schönberg1908 · Kunsthaus Zug
64
Flowering Meadow with Trees1907
65
Sunny meadow with fruit trees1908 · Leopold Museum
66
Lake Traunsee with the Schlafende Griechin mountain1907 · Leopold Museum
67
Self Portrait (Nude in a full figure)Leopold Museum
68
Schonberg Family1908
The four subjects that come back most often in these originals, each with its finest example.
The 2 museums that hold the most of the paintings on this page.
| Museum | City | Works by Richard Gerstl | Paintings from this list |
|---|---|---|---|
 Leopold Museum |
Vienna | 11 | Self-portrait in front of blue background, Lakeside Road near Gmunden, View of the park |
 Kunsthaus Zug |
Zug | 7 | Small Self-Portrait, Alexander von Zemlinsky, Portrait of Mother, Maria Gerstl, unfinished |
Between 1902 and 1908, 7 years in all, Richard Gerstl made every dated original shown here: a short span, followed year by year.
Pick a year to see its originals.
The painting presents a rural landscape characterized by rolling hills covered in dense green vegetation. In the foreground, trees bearing white blossoms suggest a springtime setting. A dirt road winds through the lower portion of the composition, leading the eye toward a small village situated in a valley. This settlement contains several structures, including a building with a prominent steeple. The color palette is dominated by various shades of green…
More from 1906
The canvas holds a moment of intense, unbridled emotion in Richard Gerstl's 1907 work, Self-Portrait Laughing. This oil on canvas captures the artist himself, presenting a face that seems to break free from the constraints of traditional likeness. It is a piece that belongs firmly to the Expressionism movement, where the internal state of the individual takes precedence over the mere imitation of the physical world. The man stares out,…
More from 1907
The scene unfolds in Mathilde Schoenberg in Garden, a work that captures a fleeting moment of presence within a lush, sun-drenched setting. Painted by Richard Gerstl, the image places Mathilde Schoenberg at the center of a quiet, outdoor world. She exists here in a moment of stillness, her figure turned away from the viewer as she stands near a bright yellow wall. The air feels heavy with the weight of…
More from 1908
Self-Portrait Laughing (1907). Grinzing (1906) and Mathilde Schoenberg in Garden (1908) come next.
24 years old: Self-Portrait Laughing dates from 1907, and Richard Gerstl was born in 1883.
Self-Portrait Laughing, Grinzing, Mathilde Schoenberg in Garden, Small Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait with Palette, Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait and Self-Portrait. The ranking above gives each one's year and museum.
Our catalog holds 68 works by Richard Gerstl, dated from 1902 to 1908.
Mostly in Leopold Museum (Vienna) and Kunsthaus Zug (Zug). The museum table above lists them all.
In 1907: 28 of the 68 works on this page were made then, Self-Portrait Laughing among them.
On this page, the earliest is Anna Baumer (1902) and the latest Mathilde Schoenberg in Garden (1908).
Portraits (14), Man (11) and Forests (9), across the 68 works on this page.
Oil On Canvas, for 10 of the 68 works on this page.
Expressionism, judging by the originals on this page.
Self-portrait in front of blue background, Lakeside Road near Gmunden and View of the park: the Leopold Museum, Vienna holds 11 of the works on this page.
Richard Gerstl was an Austrian painter and draughtsman whose brief but intense career placed him at the forefront of early Expressionism. Despite achieving little recognition during his lifetime, he is now considered a pivotal figure in Viennese modern art, known for his psychologically insightful portraits and landscapes that anticipated later developments in German Expressionism. His life was tragically cut short by suicide following a scandalous affair, an event which profoundly impacted his contemporary Arnold Schoenberg.
Born into a prosperous Jewish merchant family, Gerstl’s early life took an unexpected turn when he declared his intention to become an artist. This decision was met with disapproval from his father, leading to a degree of familial tension. After struggling in the traditional Viennese Piaristengymnasium and being expelled for disciplinary issues, Gerstl received private tutoring while pursuing his artistic ambitions. In 1898, at fifteen, he entered the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna under the demanding Christian Griepenkerl. Gerstl quickly grew disillusioned with the academic style and the prevailing trends of the Vienna Secession, famously provoking a harsh rebuke from Griepenkerl.
Following his departure from the Academy, Gerstl embarked on a period of self-directed study. Summers spent under Simon Hollósy in Nagybánya exposed him to more liberal artistic approaches. However, further clashes with authority, including a refusal to participate in an imperial procession, led to his expulsion from Hollósy’s studio as well. Gerstl's style was characterized by a raw intensity and psychological depth that set him apart. He rejected the decorative aesthetic of the Secession, opting instead for bold colors, distorted forms, and expressive brushwork. His portraits, in particular, reveal a keen understanding of human psychology, capturing not just physical likeness but also underlying emotional states. Influences can be seen in earlier masters, but Gerstl developed a uniquely personal style that foreshadowed Expressionism’s focus on subjective experience.
Around 1907, Gerstl became associated with composers Arnold Schoenberg and Alexander von Zemlinsky, who lived in the same building. A close friendship developed between Gerstl and Schoenberg, with Gerstl reportedly instructing Schoenberg in art. This period saw Gerstl produce a series of portraits of Schoenberg, his family, and friends, including several striking depictions of Schoenberg’s wife, Mathilde. A passionate affair ensued between Gerstl and Mathilde, culminating in her departure from Schoenberg in the summer of 1908. Devastated by this loss and facing isolation and a lack of artistic recognition, Gerstl destroyed most of his personal papers and artwork in a desperate act. He subsequently hanged himself in front of a mirror, also inflicting a stab wound upon himself.
Gerstl’s suicide had a profound impact on Schoenberg, inspiring his “drama with music,” Die glückliche Hand (The Lucky Hand). For many years after his death, Gerstl's work remained largely unknown. It was not until 1930 or 1931 that art dealer Otto Kallir organized a posthumous exhibition of his paintings at the Neue Galerie in Vienna. Despite facing challenges from the rising Nazi presence in Austria, Gerstl’s reputation gradually grew, and his importance as a precursor to Expressionism became increasingly recognized. Today, approximately sixty-six paintings and eight drawings are attributed to him. His work is now celebrated for its innovative approach to portraiture and landscape painting, and his tragic life continues to fascinate art historians and enthusiasts alike. Gerstl's legacy lies in his pioneering spirit and his contribution to the development of a new artistic language that prioritized emotional expression over traditional aesthetic conventions.
