Gret Kalous-Scheffer (1892 Vienna - 1975 Vienna) was a daughter of the renowned Austrian painter and owner of an art school in Vienna, Robert Scheffer. She studied under her father, continued her education at the Viennese Women´s Academy. Later Gret Kalous became a leading fashion designer of Vienna´s high society and collaborator of various magazines. From 1920-1940 she owned the "Gret Kalous Fashion School" for young designers. She was married to the Viennese painter Josef Kalous.

She received her education at her father´s painting school, where she founded the Kalous fashion course in 1915. The hallmark of her work was everyday life, fully shaped according to clothing, hairstyle, jewelry and appearance, composed according to a uniform line; As one of the first fashion designers in Vienna, Kalous therefore turned her attention above all to leisure and sports clothing.

In terms of methodology and didactics, she broke new ground by teaching exclusively in groups that she formed according to the special abilities of her pupils (for example hair design, ready-to-wear drawings, design of shoe models, composition of excursion costumes, dirndls, theater and revue robes).Kalous sought to create a total work of art of external appearance. From 1916, she presented periodic works by her students to the public (community work was called "Atelier G. K."), opening a successful career path for many. She published her own models (with full names) in magazines ("Die Schöne Wienerin", "Die Wiener Modistin", occasionally "Vogue" and "Die elegant Welt").

Kalous was one of the busiest fashion designers in Vienna in the interwar period and was a pacemaker for fashion export.

Literature: Gerda Buxbaum: Mode aus Wien 1815-1938. Salzburg ohne JahrDie schöne Wienerin. Wiener Modezeichnungen und -aquarelle. Originalentwürfe von 1910 bis 1940. Auktionskatalog Der Hammer, 25.11.1993, in on-line: Wien- Geschichte - Wiki.

Inscription: signed lower right.

Technique: watercolour on paper. Original period black lacque frame.

Measurements: unframed w 9 1/2" x h 7 1/8" (24 x 18 cm), , framed w 12 5/8" x h 10 1/4" (32 x 26 cm)

Condition: in good condition.