In addition to studying architecture, Josef Engelhart also studied at the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts. From 1883 to 1888 he studied at the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich under Herterich and Löfftz where he was awarded the bronze medal for art in 1885. In 1888 he exhibited in the Vienna Künstlerhaus for the first time. During the following years he travelled to Karlsbad, Spain, Slovakia, Italy and France. He visited Paris time and again, where he found himself particularly inspired by the works of Degas and Lautrec. He specialized in plein-air studies and mainly depicted the life of ordinary Viennese people. In 1893 his artistic achievements were recognized in Paris where he received a medal for art. Josef Engelhart was one of the founding members of the Vienna Secession in 1897. The following years he spent travelling in France, Belgium and England in order to recruit important artists for the Vienna Secession and introduce them to the Viennese audience. In 1898 he became president of the Vienna Secession. In 1900, he was awarded the bronze medal for art in Paris, became a member of the Berlin Secession and was invited to the panel of artists charged with designing Vienna’s largest cemetery. Around the same time, he developed an interest in sculpting, which led him to create a number of important statues. In 1909 the Vienna Secession hosted the first comprehensive exhibition of Engelhart’s oeuvre. He continued to be honoured with numerous awards, recognizing his artistic achievements. During the last active years of his life he focused primarily on the merriments of Viennese people in the Prater, Vienna’s largest amusement park and recreation ground.