His most important achievements were in the area of animal painting. He had a preference for depicting exotic beasts of prey. Initially influenced by the Realist paintings of the Munich school of the late 19th century, he arrived at his own version of impressionism.
He studied at the Vienna Academy under Siegfried l'Allemand and Eisenmenger and in Munich under Carl von Marr until 1902. His study trips took him to Italy, France, Egypt and Montenegro, and in 1912 to the site of the war in the Balkans. Between 1914 and 1918, he was a war painter in Russia and Italy. Trips to Holland followed from 1920. Between 1929 and 1945, he worked as a professor at the Wiener Akademie. Between 1938 and 1939, he was the director of a Master School of Painting, and from 1939 to 1945 the director of a Special School for Animal Painting.
His work was honored in numerous ways: 1911 Small State Gold Medal, Drasche Prize and Albert Freiherr von Rothschild Prize, 1913 Dumba Prize, 1916 Drasche Prize again, 1925 Reichel Prize and State Prize, 1926 Grand Honorary Medal in Gold, 1928 Künstlerhaus Anniversary Prize and 1944 Honorary Medal in Gold.
From 1903 to 1905, Fahringer was a member of the Hagenbund and from 1907 a member of the Vienna Künstlerhaus.
Works at:
Belvedere, Vienna
