Herbert Dimmel

Herbert Dimmel was a painter and art teacher, and from 1949-59 was Director of the Art University of Linz and the head of the painting school there 1947-72. In World War I he was a prisoner of war in Siberia for six long years. During this time, he started painting and drawing. He then studied in Wien (Vienna) at the Academy of Fine Arts under Ferdinand Andri and others. After several years as a teacher at the Academy, he became a freelance artist and received numerous commissions to decorate public buildings. During the Nazi era, he was the district representative for art. In 1945 his studio was looted after a bombing raid.

Despite his numerous building commissions, Dimmel himself valued his free works, which were later influenced by Symbolism, more highly. In 1964 he was awarded the Golden Laurel of the Vienna Künstlerhaus, and in 1975 the Golden Decoration of Honor of the Republic of Austria. His son Peter Hans Dimmel (*1928) became a sculptor. The title of Herbert Dimmel’s work submitted in 1936 was The Olympic Garden.