Alfred Kubin was born in 1877 in Leitmeritz. His childhood was deeply influenced by the death of his mother and the fact that his family often moved from one place to another. He was not sure what he wanted to do in life. First he took lessons in photography. In 1898 he moved to Munich to study at the Academy. He quit only a short time later and continued his studies as an autodidact. The young artist was impressed by the works of Ensor, Klinger, Munch and Redon. In 1902 Kubin had his first exhibition in Berlin, which wasn’t well received by the public. Nevertheless he won over two important collectors, the poet Max Dauthendey and the collector and editor Hans von Weber. The publication of the so-called “Weber-Mappe” was Kubin's breakthrough. His artwork was shown at athe spring exhibition of the Secession and other exhibitions in Munich and Berlin followed. He got to know Fritz von Herzmanovsky, who became a life-long friend, and other outstanding expressionist artists. In 1912 Kubin started to work for the newly founded “Simplicissimus”. During World War I he became interested in philosophy and psychoanalysis. In 1921 he had his first great one-man exhibition. He accomplisehd a great number of lithographs, worked as a writer and illustrated journals and books. In 1955 he bequeathed his entire estate to the Republic of Austria. Alfred Kubin died in 1959 in Zwickledt. After his death his estate was divided up between the Albertina and the State Museum of Upper Austria.