Lothar’s artistic talent was recognised early by his art teacher at school, who taught him personally in extra lessons. After leaving school, Lothar attended the School for Glass Manufacture and Woodcarving in Zwiesel. His training there came to an abrupt end when Lothar led a fight between the Bohemian and some Bavarian pupils, who had called him names and doubted his German-ness because of where he came from. Lothar then earned his money by decorating wooden boxes for a souvenir shop and was called up for his military service in the Czech army after his twentieth birthday.

 In spite of all this he managed to develop his art through self study and the support of professional artists who had recognised his potential. So, he taught himself the techniques of woodcutting and etching. His main themes were the Bohemian landscape and particularly the people who scraped a living from the land as peasants or foresters.

 Their faces and their bodies testify to the hard labour that was required of them daily. Sometimes they are drawn with brutal realism, but one can also sense the idea that labour bestows a certain dignity to them, that a kind of beauty is hidden in these figures.

                                               
Man with Scythe                                   Man Sowing                         Ploughing
1938 Pencil 37x48

                                            
Team of Oxen                                     The Smith                              Clearing 
                                                                                                             Etching

                                               
Woodsman and Skiers                     Old Couple                          Tired Old Man, 
                                                             Pencil                                   Pencil 40x48

                                                     
Men at Work                                      Men at Work                          Man with Scythe 

                                                         
Man Sowing                                     Woman with Cow                     Mowing

                                  
Clearing                                             Woman with Cows                 Team of Horses

                                           
Woman with Cows                           In the Sandpit                           Man Sowing
                                                           1935

                                             
Cows                                                 Forestry                                      Woman with Cow
1934 Pencil 38x38                          1934 Pencil 46x60                    Pencil 40x30

                                  
Ploughing                                          Tree Felling                              Forestry
Etching 22x16                                   1934 Etching 18x19

                                                 
Woman with Cow                              Forestry Charcoal                  Horses 
Charcoal 40x35                                 50x40

Bohemian Forest Peasant
Etching 18x12