Salzburg artist Gottfried Salzmann dies at 83

The celebrated Salzburg artist Gottfried Salzmann has died aged 83. He died on Wednesday, ORF reported, after building an international reputation with his watercolours and photography.

Salzmann was born in 1943 in Saalfelden, in the Pinzgau region. He attended secondary school in Salzburg and Vienna, then studied at the Academy of Fine Arts Vienna from 1963 to 1965 under Sergius Pauser and Max Melcher. He moved to Paris in 1965 to study at the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts, where he met his wife, Nicole Bottet.

His family said Salzmann had lived in Paris for years and continued working there until his death. He developed techniques including “Photeauforte”, which features photographic overprints. His work ranged from charcoal drawings and oil paintings to collages and watercolours, and was exhibited in cities including New York, Tokyo and Vienna.

Salzmann maintained a close connection to Salzburg and exhibited there for more than five decades, including at Galerie Welz and Schloss Wiespach. The Krimml Waterfalls inspired one of his final series of works.

In 2023, Salzburg Mayor Harald Preuner awarded him the Ring of the City of Salzburg. His other honours included the Austrian Decoration for Science and Art and the Slavi Soucek Prize.