Leopold Strobl

*1960, Austria

Leopold Strobl was born in Mistelbach, Austria. He attended a grammar school, and decided while still a student there that he wanted to become an artist.

He has been working consistently on that chosen career ever since. In his early twenties, as it was difficult for him to make a living purely from his artistic endeavours, he began to work for the township in Poysdorf. After a few years this became impossible for him to sustain, due to psychiatric problems. He is married, with one son, and lives in Poysdorf and Kritzendorf in Lower Austria. He has devoted himself exclusively to art for over 35 years now. For many years he has been a guest at atelier gugging. He prefers to work in small formats. His drawings appear simple at first sight, but with more intensive study, a complex, enigmatic and poetic character emerges. Leopold Strobl draws two-dimensional images on sheets of newspaper – such as church newspapers, for example – which he then glues onto drawing paper, signing them on the back in pencil, with his personal symbol – a heart, enclosing a cross surrounded by rays. He works on the black areas of a picture first, then colours the sky in green, and finally he highlights the borders. He uses black, green and yellow coloured pencils. These colours and the use of lines and rounded forms are characteristic of his artworks, with subjects chosen from nature or built structures. He does not give them titles, as the works speak for themselves! Leopold Strobl is devoutly religious; tranquillity, a profound depth and peace are important to him.

In 2018, examples of Leopold Strobl’s work were displayed at the Outsider Art Fair in New York. His work can be seen in Bruno Decharme’s Collection abcd, France, the Collection Steinke, Vienna, and in the Diamond Collection, Vienna. In 2018 a number of his works were acquired by the Museum of Modern Art in New York.

Selected works