Leopold Löwy Jr.

Leopold Löwy Jr.

Leopold Loewy (Löwy) Jr. (25 August 1871 in Vienna – 29 February 1940 in Vienna) was an Austrian chess master, caricaturist, artist, and writer.

Early life

Born in Vienna into a Jewish family of industrialists. Although his parents intended for him to pursue formal studies and eventually enter the family business, he instead studied astronomy and attended lectures in a range of other subjects. Much of his education was self-directed, and according to later accounts he spoke and wrote five languages. He devoted himself to drawing and lived in relatively modest circumstances.

Art Career

A regular at Café Central, Loewy moved within Vienna’s coffeehouse and artistic milieu and came into contact with a number of prominent cultural figures. The greater part of his graphic work was produced between 1900 and 1916 and included portraits, caricatures, and satirical drawings of writers, artists, and chess players.

In 1920 he published a volume of fables, for which he also provided the cover illustration. He also designed postcards and contributed illustrations to Viennese periodicals.Later in life, he played in chess tournaments in Vienna and Germany. He was known for his caricatures and drawings, as well as for a collection of animal fables published in 1920. He is credited as a proto-surrealist.

Chess Career

Chess was one of Loewy’s principal pursuits. In 1893 he joined the New Vienna Chess Club and soon established himself in Viennese chess circles. He scored notable results against masters including Siegbert Tarrasch, Richard Réti, and Savielly Tartakower, although he did not reach the highest rank of international tournament play.

In 1893/94, he took 12th at Vienna (Jacques Schwarz won). In 1899, he won the Amateur Tournament of the Vienna Chess Club, and took 3rd at Vienna (Adolf Zinkl won). In 1902, he won at Vienna (Quadrangular).

He took 9th place, while his father Leopold Loewy Sr. took 7th at Vienna 1904 (Carl Schlechter won); tied for 3rd-4th at Barmen (C tournament, Akiba Rubinstein and Oldřich Duras won); tied for 2nd-4th, behind Savielly Tartakower, at Nuremberg 1906 (15th DSB–Congress, Hauptturnier).

Death

Facing persecution under fascist dictatorship via National Socialism, Loewy died by suicide in Vienna in 1940 to avoid deportation. He left behind a substantial body of small-format drawings depicting figures from his contemporary social and cultural world.