The too-little-known German painter Richard Felix Julius Wittmann grew up in the Bavarian town of Coburg. He first studied at the Königliche Kunstschule (Royal Art School) in Berlin, and in 1900 moved to the educational institution of the Kunstgewerbemuseum, then two years later to the Academy. After continuing his studies at the Académie Julian in Paris from 1904 to 1905, he returned to the Berlin Academy, where he graduated in 1906.

At first he worked as a freelance artist, and gradually became known for his colourful scenes of the Berlin underworld. Sadly he injured his right hand badly during the First World War, so after the war he trained as an art teacher, graduating in 1919. The same year he married Olga Huber from Vienna, who was also an artist, and they had two children.

Richard Wittmann worked in Berlin throughout his life, but at the end of his life moved back to Coburg.

We are very grateful to our Russian friend Yuri for introducing us to the work of this artist.