About Friedrich ZETTL

short biography

friedrich zettl portrait photo

Zettl Fine Arts

Friedrich studied Sinology, Ethnology, and Art History in Wien, Chinese painting, calligraphy, and seal carving in Beijing

  • wrote his theses on the History of xieyi-painting in Wien and Beijing
  • had exhibitions of his works in Bejing in 1984 and 1985 and many times in Austria, Belgium, and Germany. 2022 in Chongqing, Sichuan Province
  • gives lectures on Chinese Arts in Wien
    writes articles on Chinese Arts in Wien
  • illustrates books
  • publishes a blog about art

contact

弗里德里希·蔡特尔: 中文简介


Photos of Friedrich with friends and from events

Featured on Chinese television and the Austrian broadcaster okto.tv. Aired 05/27/2023

Wolfgang Kubin photo

Photo of Professor Wolfgang Kubin and Friedrich Zettl (toasting to a new book)

walter fehlinger and friedrich zettl

With Mag. Walter Fehlinger, Mr. Bacopa (Bacopa Publishers)

dr heinz fischer and friedrich zettl

Presentation of an award for special services by former Federal President Dr. Heinz Fischer

certificate of honor issued for friedrich zettl

Award signed by Helmut Sohmen, Dr. Fischer, and Interior Minister Kurz

invitation Chongqing exhibition

2022: Exhibition at Hong Art Museum in Chongqing, China. Supported by oe.g.c.f and bmeia

article in the guangming daily about friedrich zettl

Cover article in the Guangming Daily about Friedrich Zettl

photo michael ludwig, kosmo, friedrich zettl, gerd kaminski at an exhibition

Michael Ludwig (Lord Mayor of Wien, opened my exhibition. Kosmo, Friedrich and
Prof. Gerd Kaminski, the host of the exhibition at Friedrich Schiff Gallery).

foto wolfgang wolte and friedrich zettl

with Ambassador Dr. Wolfgang Wolte

photo professor gerd kaminski and friedrich zettl

With Prof. Gerd Kaminski, head of the oe. g.c.f.

photo friedrich zettl, otto roesch, hans mayr

Photo with late Interior Minister Otto Roesch and City Council Hans Mayr

photo ursula wolte, wolfgang wolte,_huang zhou,_friedrich zettl

Ursula Wolte – wife of Huang Zhou – Wolfgang Wolte – Huang Zhou 黄周 (famous for his donkey paintings), and Friedrich Zettl

dr kirchschlaeger aund friedrich zettl

With former Federal President Dr. Rudolf Kirchschlaeger and wife, artist Yang Yanping and daughter, Yuezhen and Friedrich Zettl

friedrich zettl and minister heinz fischer

Former Federal President Dr. Heinz Fischer at the opening of the first major exhibition by Friedrich Zettl

photo Ma Desheng and Friedrich Zettl

Photograph with the young artist, Ma Desheng 马德升 one of the founding members of the Stars Group 星星美

photo Wang Keping and Friedrich Zettl

With the important sculptor, Wang Keping 王克平, now living and working in France

more detailed biography

蔡特尔 Friedrich Zettl
蔡特尔 Friedrich Zettl

Friedrich, born in 1954, began painting as an autodidact. His interest had been sparked by an exhibition of the Fantastic Realists. Firstly he experimented with watercolor and pastel chalk, subsequently with woodcuts and linocuts. Very soon, however, he devoted himself to oil painting, which he learned by studying old masters. At this time he made his own painting grounds and even mixed his own paints.

After a few paintings in a surrealistic and then impressionistic style, a longer period of expressionism followed. Above all, it was Monet, Van Gogh, and later Oskar Kokoschka who nurtured his love of painting and shaped his time in those years.

As a co-founder of Fettfleck, a magazine for literature and art, literature took on particular importance alongside painting. At this time he also co-founded the artists’ association Bonamente. Besides a studio and a gallery, a rehearsal room was also made available there for bands. Among other musicians, Falco started his solo career in these rooms.

After attending night school, Friedrich began his university studies in Vienna in 1976 with sinology, ethnology, and art history. In 1978 he received a scholarship for China and was the first European to study at the Central Academy of Fine Arts, CAFA, in Beijing. Another grant enabled him to stay at the academy again in 1982. In addition to painting, he also devoted himself to research and completed his doctorate in 1985.

During these years he exhibited many times in Europe, mainly in Austria, Belgium, and Germany, but also twice in Beijing.

Long years followed in which Friedrich worked in business. He founded a management company with a partner and was a representative for Western companies in China. He was chairman of the supervisory board of Austrian Consult AG and subsequently also of Profinet AG, a major online provider at the time.

Hence Friedrich collected art and antiques over the years he subsequently devoted himself to maintaining and marketing his collection.
In 2020 he began to devote himself to painting again. Since then he has completed a large number of works, which are also presented in detail on these pages, both in the portfolio section and in blog posts.

Besides Daoism and Zen Buddhism have always been of particular interest and this is increasingly reflected in his work.

Finally, some of the artwork now is listed at FriedrichZettl.com and Saatchi gallery 


recent postings at zettl.blog

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