(Vienna 1898-1937 Bregenz)

Herbert von Reyl-Hanisch descended from an old Austrian officer's family. Because of his father's profession the family moved frequently and Herbert von Reyl-Hanisch grew up in Austria, Krakow and Praha. In his youth he witnessed the downfall of the Danube Monarchy, to which he felt connected because of his family tradition, upbringing and social backround. In 1914 his father was killed in action. Herbert von Reyl-Hanisch himself was exempt from military service because of a chronic lung disease. In 1917 he began to study at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna for a short period of time but changed university soon and switched to the Wiener Kunstgewerbeschule (the school of arts and crafts Vienna) where Wilhelm Müller-Hofmann was his teacher. After his graduation in 1920 he lived and worked as a freelance artist.

In 1923 Herbert von Reyl-Hanisch exhibited at the Vienna Secession for the first time. Because of his good social contacts to wealthy families he got numerous orders for portraits even in economically difficult years. In the late 1920ies he became a member of the artist group „Alte Welt“ (old world). He made friends with the painter Franz Sedlacek, whose wife Maria he portrayed in 1930. After several visits in Vorarlberg and because of family relationships Herbert von Reyl-Hanisch finally moved to Bregenz in Vorarlberg during the 1930ies. At this time his popularity was growing constantly, he exhibited in Germany and Italy and his brother in law put him in contact with potential buyers which ordered profitable portraits. In 1935 Herbert von Reyl-Hanisch got seriously ill and only two years later, in 193,7 the artist died of a sudden hemorrhage.