For Oskar Kokoschka (1886-1980), one of the most important representatives of Expressionism, Greek art symbolizes the free human being. This consideration is very current. Even the draft constitution for the European Union understands the classical tradition as a cornerstone of European identity. At a young age, the Austrian painter and graphic artist Oskar Kokoschka vehemently rejected Vienna Ring Road Classicism. Only after the terrible experience of World War II did he turn to the culture of ancient Greece. Studying the ancient art for him meant traveling to the Mediterranean and taking in the great museums of this ancient world. In man and the ancient ideal of art he recognized the connection between freedom, beauty and humanism, which became key points in his postwar career. Sketch books, colored pencil drawings, paintings and large-format print cycles are evidence of this fascination. In Kokoschka’s triptych The Thermopylae of 1954, which is strongly colored by experiences of his recent past, Greece appears after the victory over the Persians as a European utopia for a hard-won, free, peaceful and meaningful life. For the first time, this volume provides a comprehensive investigation of Kokoschka’s study on ancient Greece. It documents how he drew from Greek art and how it is artistically used and thematically appropriated for his politically important issues. A generously illustrated catalog also offers interpretations of the work. German text.