Glückspilze 

Hans Zatzka created this still life painting, “Glückspilze”, with oil on canvas. The painting’s title translates to “Lucky Mushrooms”, and in fin-de-siècle Austria, where Zatzka lived and worked, mushrooms were a common symbol of good fortune, prosperity and health. Though he is known for his fairy paintings, this painting is a reminder that in Austro-Hungarian society, symbolism was often derived from nature. Zatzka was a popular but not particularly innovative artist who made a living by selling paintings to a growing middle class. His art was often displayed in public exhibitions, which were becoming increasingly common. These exhibitions allowed a wider audience to appreciate and purchase art, but also created a market for more conventional artworks such as this one. To fully appreciate Zatzka's art, we must consider the economic and cultural context in which he operated. Researching the art market in Vienna, Austria, at the turn of the century will help to understand the culture that produced “Glückspilze”.