Erwin Lang – Artist and Designer
From time to time, life can provide some added excitement for a 200-year-old family – as was the case with the third generation of the Köcherts. In the 1880s, Theodore Köchert had married the socially committed women’s rights advocate, Marie Wissgrill, and soon after, they had a son, Erich. But within a short time, Marie divorced Theodore and entered into a new marriage that gave little Erich Köchert a half-brother – Erwin Lang.
Erwin studied at the Wiener Kunstgewerbeschule – the Vienna School of Applied Arts – and designed his first stage set in 1908 for the renowned Theater in der Josefstadt. Further stage designs followed, including under the direction of Max Reinhardt, in Vienna and Berlin. In 1911, he exhibited his artistic works for the first time, together with Oskar Kokoschka and Egon Schiele, and also worked as a book illustrator using his characteristic woodcut technique. Grete Wiesenthal, his first wife, often posed as his model.
The First World War brought an end to this period, but ironically, his creativity blossomed once again during his captivity as a prisoner of war in Siberia. In order not to starve, Erwin built a rotary press in the camp; this produced up to 10,000 prints per day, advertising cigarette packs, matches and shoe polish.
After a spectacular escape from the camp, he fled through China and managed to return to Vienna in 1920. Here, he once again worked as a painter, stage designer, book illustrator and, of course, as a jewellery designer, which he did exclusively for his brother, Erich Köchert.
The works of Erwin Lang, who died in 1962, can be seen in the Wien Museum, the Albertina, the Belvedere and the Austrian Theater Museum. And, of course, at the workshops of A.E. Köchert, where Lang’s timelessly beautiful and distinctive designs are still highly influential and revered! Here you can also admire some of his original drawings, which are often accompanied by amusing texts.