The Formative Years in Vienna

Born in Graz in 1877, Robert Philippi began his path through the world of art with a foundation built on practical instruction. His early training was shaped by the theater painter Kautsky and the private painting school Streblow in Vienna. These initial steps led him to more formal academic settings, including the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts between 1893 and 1896, where he studied under Christian Griepenkerl and Josef Mathias Trenkwald. He later expanded his technical knowledge at the Vienna School of Applied Arts, learning from Felician Myrbach and Alfred Roller.

During these years, Philippi found himself immersed in a circle of artists that included Egon Schiele. In 1914, he even served as a teacher for Schiele, passing on his knowledge of woodcut and etching techniques. This period of his life was marked by deep connections to the artistic pulse of the era, particularly through his time as an assistant to Franz Cizek. Working alongside CizeK, a pioneer of Viennese Kinetism, helped shape Philippi's own artistic development.

A Shift in Medium and Subject

For much of his early career, Philippi focused his energy on the precision of printmaking and drawing. He utilized woodcut and etching to explore figurative themes, often focusing on nudes and erotic subjects. His work during this time was closely linked to the Hagenbund, a group to which he remained a member until 1925.

As the decades progressed, his interests began to shift. From 1925 onward, he turned his attention more frequently toward painting. While his early mastery of line and relief remained part of his identity, the brush allowed for new ways to approach his chosen subjects. His technical skill was recognized through several awards, including the Julius-Reich-Preis, which he received in 1927, 1929, 1933, 1935, and 1937.

Legacy and Final Years

Philippi's life concluded in Vienna in 1959. He left behind a body of work that moved from the sharp, graphic nature of woodcuts to the more fluid application of paint. His influence lived on through his students and his role in the Viennese art scene, particularly through his connection to the movements and figures that defined the early twentieth century in Austria.

Some of his notable works include:

• Akt/Die Erschrockene: A woodcut piece.
• Nana: An etching on paper.
• Standing girl: A drawing.