The Hagen Society, one of the two organizations linked with the Vienna Secession, had a focus on landscape painting. Valuing “pure” forms of art such as painting, the society’s members realistically depicted nature and rendered the scenery and customs of Austria in a composed and refined manner.

Albin Egger-Lienz was a member of the Hagen Society until 1900. He often painted landscapes that incorporated elements from the lives of common people, including farmers and laborers. In contrast to the Expressionists who sought to voice extreme emotions, he portrayed Austria in a weighty but warm mood.