Hans (Hannes) Koosz

Hans Koosz (also known as Hannes Koosz) is a renowned Austrian painter, draughtsman, author, and an incorruptible chronicler of human everyday life from Bruck an der Leitha. His multifaceted oeuvre spans a wide range from expressive, powerfully coloured oil paintings and pointillist seascapes to masterful, satirically sharp ink and pen drawings.

Original Works in the KulturOn Shop

Discover all 33 signed unique pieces by Hans Koosz – from powerful oil painting to the masterful Don Quixote cycle.

To the paintings in the shop

Biographical Roots & Life Path

Rooted in the Lower Austrian-Burgenland cultural region – with residences and studios in Bruck an der Leitha (including Körnerplatz 6), Höflein, by Lake Zicksee, in Retz and Vienna – Hans Koosz’s work is inextricably linked to his origins and personal family history. Early on, shaped by the upright stance of his grandfather Franz Gibiser, a courageous railway worker and resistance fighter against the Nazi regime (Dachau survivor), Koosz developed a keen eye for justice, social realities, and a deep-seated scepticism towards authorities, platitudes, and military pathos.

After intensive travels throughout Europe, the Orient, and Asia, as well as periods in journalism and literary creation, Koosz dedicated himself with boundless energy to painting and graphic arts. His works are testimonies of an alert mind capable of detecting both the absurd and the sublime in the everyday.

Artistic Influences & Style

Hans Koosz’s visual language reflects clear elective affinities with the great masters of Classical Modernism and New Objectivity: the powerful, existential gravity of Max Beckmann, the biting social caricature of George Grosz and Otto Dix, and the visionary darkness of Francisco de Goya resonate in his works, as does the feather-light, ambiguous irony of the Tyrolean draughtsman Paul Flora.

1. Expressive Painting: Palette Knife Strokes and Colour Explosions

On canvas, Koosz prefers to work in impasto oil and mixed media. With powerful brush and palette knife strokes, sometimes dissolved into pointillist dabs of colour, he creates maritime impressions of gunboats and lonely rowing boats in shallow water, reminiscent of the vastness of the English Channel or the coasts of Brittany. In his figure compositions – such as the legendary scenes of the “Drinkers”, who linger thoughtfully and melancholically at pub tables – he captures the Austrian soul between melancholy and cosiness with unsparing truthfulness. His anti-war works (like the monumental painting “War-mongering”) unmask power games as grotesque theatre with tin figures and steel helmets.

2. Ink and Pen Graphics: Virtuosity on Paper

Parallel to painting, pure ink and pen drawing forms the second monumental pillar of his work. With microscopic precision, finest hatchings, and an unmistakable line, Koosz creates dense narrative worlds:

• The Don Quixote Cycle: The “Knight of the Sorrowful Countenance” and his squire Sancho Panza accompany the artist for decades as allegorical heroes against the windmills of life – whether in heroic combat against giant mosquitoes, in thoughtful wine drinking, or with oversized shadows in the open field.
• Satire & Society: Formed groups of men in uniform trench coats and fedora hats, stiff officers with spiked helmets, acrobats daringly balancing on monumental black spheres, and mischievous figures holding balloons.
• Ravens & Night Scenes: The raven – symbol of wisdom, mockery, and loyal drinking companion – meets us in the moonlight, drinks from a wine glass, or sits familiarly on a snowman’s shoulder.
• Alpine Drama: Rugged rock ridges, summit ascents, and fascinating shadows cast by the low sun reflect Koosz’s deep connection with nature.

Studio & Present

Today, Hans Koosz works in his studio in Höflein / Bruck an der Leitha. His works have been presented in numerous exhibitions at home and abroad and are held in private and public collections. All originals offered here in the KulturOn Shop are signed unique pieces and represent masterpieces from various creative periods of the artist.