Gerhard Altenbourg was born in 1926 near Gotha. Shortly afterwards, the family moved to Altenburg. From 1946 to 1948 he took painting lessons from Erich Dietz, followed by studies at the University of Architecture and Visual Arts in Leipzig.

After completing his studies he lived in Altenburg as freelance artist and took the city name as his artist's name in the mid-1950s. In 1961 he had a studio in the Academy of the Arts in West Berlin, in 1970 he became a full member of the Academy. He participated in the Documenta II. and VI.

Altenbourg refused to follow the art politics of the GDR, therefore has been forbidden to exhibit. His works can be found today in prestigious collections, i...