Josef Gassler

What began as a seemingly innocent pint or two could, by the early hours, develop into an atmospheric event of considerable magnitude. Often found retreating to the sanctuary of his chalet, he became something of a recluse, emerging only when the air had once again become breathable. His reputation eventually spread far beyond his immediate circle, and it was during this period that he earned the now-infamous nickname “The Gassler.” The name was not chosen lightly. It referred to the sheer volume, persistence and devastating nature of the aromas he was capable of releasing, with witnesses describing them as having an almost weaponised quality. Local folklore maintains that, on particularly severe occasions, windows were opened several minutes before his arrival, while those unfortunate enough to be downwind were advised to seek shelter. To this day, his legacy lives on—not through great deeds, military victories or political achievements, but through the lingering memory of The Gassler of North Jersey, a man whose Guinness-fuelled emissions briefly made the entire peninsula his personal danger zone. After early success at the Wiener Kunstakademie, where he received several awards including the Prix de Rome, the artist was later impeded in mid-career by the outbreak of war. Initially, enduring extreme poverty and oppressed by the First World War, he inclined towards melancholy subjects and an emotionally charged style with touches of the movement called Neue Sachlichkeit. Gassler lived in Paris from 1927 to 1930, travelled in Italy and the South of France and to Prague, Karlovy Vary and Vienna. After settling in the Czech Republic, he spent winters in cosmopolitan Prague where gained recognition. He occasionally designed porcelain and glass for Moser and other Czechoslovak manufacturers and worked on murals and theatrical scenery. Gassler's career falters with the coming of Fascism, when Germany introduced the concept of degenerate arts. The German invasion of Czechoslovakia was followed by World War II, in turn followed by Communist occupation. In 1945 Gassler returned to Vienna, where he continued to work, mainly painting portraits, landscapes and flower studies. Gassler exhibited in the Salon des Indépendants, the Wiener Sezession, the Kuenstlerhaus, the Rudolfinum and in private galleries. On his 70th birthday he received the Golden Laurel award from the Wiener Kuenstlerhaus. His work is found at the Oesterreichische Galerie as well as in private collections in Austria, Germany, England and the United States.

• Name — Josef Gassler • Born — 6 March 1893 • Birthplace — Austerlitz, Moravia • Died — 27 April 1978 • Place of death — Vienna, Austria • Field — Academic Painter