On 14 February 1887 Anton Faistauer was born in St. Martin bei Lofer. Faistauer’s initial interest in writing was diverted to painting by Albert Paris Gütersloh, who was a school friend in Bolzano. A catalytic experience was a visit to the Impressionism Exhibition in Vienna in 1903, where Anton Faistauer saw works by Cézanne. In 1905 he attended Robert Scheffer’s painting school together with Anton Peschka, Egon Schiele’s future brother-in-law. In 1906 Faistauer was accepted at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna. After studying briefly with Christian Griepenkerl and Alois Delug, he left with Egon Schiele, Franz Wiegele and Robin Christian Andersen in protest against the conservative teaching methods. In 1909 they founded the Neukunstgruppe (New Art Group). Until war broke out Faistauer travelled extensively to places like northern Italy, Switzerland and in 1914 to Berlin. In 1915 he moved to Maishofen because of the war. In 1919 Faistauer played a significant role in the
foundation of the artist association in Salzburg called Wassermann. In 1920 he moved to Salzburg and in the years that followed he worked mainly in Vienna and Paris. He became widely known as a result of public commissions, like the frescos that he painted for the foyer of the Festival Hall in Salzburg. In 1923 his book Neue Malerei in Österreich (New Painting in Austria) was published. In 1927 he moved to Vienna but kept his apartment in Salzburg. Faistauer died on 13 February 1930
and was buried in Maishofen.