His father, also named Franz, was a weaver. After completing his primary education in 1883, he received a scholarship, sponsored by the family, and went to Vienna. Following a year of introductory courses at the
School of Applied Arts, he studied at the
Academy of Fine Arts with
August Eisenmenger,
Franz Rumpler and
Christian Griepenkerl. In 1892, he was awarded a stipend to study in Italy. In 1894, he established himself in Vienna. He made numerous trips throughout Western Europe and visited
Tunisia. He became a member of the in 1896 and was one of the founding members of the
Hagenbund in 1900. Two years later, he was appointed an associate professor at the
Academy of Fine Arts, Prague, and became a full professor in 1905; a position he would hold until 1938. He volunteered for service in 1916 and worked as a
war artist on several fronts for a year. During this period, he received several awards, including the Knight's Cross of the
Order of Franz Joseph, the
Order of the Iron Crown, and the
Order of Saint Anna. He was married twice; in 1909 to Maria Starou then, in 1927, to the painter, Inge Peschka (1903-1993), with whom he had a son. He retired in 1938, following the
German occupation of Czechoslovakia. His next work was a propaganda poster, showing
Hitler in front of a cheering crowd. Some of his paintings were purchased by Hitler and
Joseph Goebbels. Near the end of the war, he and Inge were sent to a detention center operated by Czech patriots. He did not survive. Some sources indicate he may have been lynched. He was buried in a mass grave near Prague. == References ==