Robert Schoeller Fine Art

ful, lasting impact in the viewer--elements that Schoeller later came to recognize in the artworks of classic masters. Robert Schoeller was born and raised in a small Austrian village on the Danube. At the age of three, he "discovered" art through his mother's accomplished paintings. Attracted by their beauty and colors, he showed an interest in painting on his own and was encouraged to do so. At one point, Schoeller's mother gave him a book with pictures of the world's greatest paintings, which fascinated him. Even at his early age, he was drawn to certain paintings which had a special quality that made them more aesthetic, inspirational, beautiful and exciting--qualities that he feels are lost to a great degree in our time. He constantly studied and copied the images from the book as a child and, although long since lost, his fascination with those images remain and he still considers that book his "bible" of art. Finishing high school at age 15, Schoeller's talent earned him acceptance into a famous art school in Linz, to pursue university-level instruction in preparation for a career in art. However, he did not care for the focus on modern styles of art and chose instead to create his own paintings and engravings, which combined realism with fantasy. And, he was rewarded at his first school art show when people bought his etchings and paintings as fast as he put them up. The public demand for his paintings proved to be somewhat awkward for Schoeller when he applied to the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna in 1968. He showed up at the interview with only two etchings (which he had to borrow back from clients). And, when the panel learned that he'd sold all his paintings, they praised his work and told him to go and paint on his own because there was nothing they could teach him. But, as he was leaving the interview, he was invited to join a master's class, which he accepted. After a year, however, Schoeller decided to leave school and see the world. He embarked upon an extended trip that took him to Mexico City, Los Angeles and New York City, where he set up a studio and resided for nearly four years. He stayed for two years-- painting, staging exhibitions, selling his works and enjoying what proved to be a very idyllic time in his life. Then, on New Year's Day 1976, he moved to Vienna, where he set up a studio, continued painting and began doing exhibitions throughout Europe. During this time, he also began to explore and develop new subjects, including a series of "bird's eye view" paintings of the earth. In these works, which are delightful watercolor expressions of vast space, light, serenity and freedom, he offers viewers a chance to soar above the clouds and catch glimpses of the long progression of life and human civilizations on the planet far below. It wasn't long before Schoeller's reputation as a portraitist grew. He began getting commissions throughout Europe, painting everyone from government officials to members of the aristocracy, as well as commissions in the United States. In 1986, Schoeller received what might possibly be his most notable commission. He was asked by The White House to paint the official portrait of George Washington to commemorate the Bicentennial Celebration of the U.S. Constitution. Schoeller depicted Washington standing at the table in Independence Hall, handing a quill pen to the viewer. The painting was made into a poster and was used in local celebrations throughout the country, inspiring Americans to symbolically sign their own name to copies of the Constitution as a collective reaffirmation of their American heritage. The project involved exhaustive research, earned criticalacclaim and massive exposure for the artist. After that project (in 1989), Schoeller moved to Clearwater, Florida, and since then, his career has been on a spectacular rise.