Leopold Hauer was an Austrian painter. Through his father Franz Hauer, who owned the  Griechenbeisl (which translates as ‘the Greek Pub’), a legendary meeting place for artists, scholars and politicians, and who was also an avid art collector, Hauer was introduced to the arts from an early age. He studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Vienna from 1918 to 1924 under Josef Jungwirth and Karl Sterrer and won the prestigious academy prize in 1923. Despite being known primarily for his careful observation of nature and architecture, translated into still lifes and cityscapes, he was also passionate about film. He worked as a dramaturge and director and founded the Künstlerhauskino in Vienna, where he served as artistic director for 17 years.