A framed painting by Oskar Kokoschka entitled "Dolomite Landscape, Tre Croci".

Oskar Kokoschka (1 March 1886 to 22 February 1980) was an Austrian artist, poet and playwright best known for his intense expressionistic portraits and landscapes. One of his professors suggested he pursue a career in fine art. Against his fathers will, Kokoschka applied to Kunstgewerbeschule (School of Arts and Crafts) in Vienna, where he was one of three accepted out of 153 applicants. Deemed a degenerate by the Nazis, Kokoschka fled Austria in 1934 for Prague. In Prague his name was adopted by a group of other expatriate artists. Kokoschka had much in common with his contemporary Max Beckmann. Both maintained their independence from German Expressionism, yet they are now regarded as its supreme masters, who delved deeply into the art of past masters to develop unique individual styles.