Oswald Malura (1906-2003) was a German artist. After completing his elementary education, Malura began an apprenticeship with a decorative painter. In 1926, Malura enrolled in the Academy of Fine Arts in Munich. Upon his graduation in 1929, he was awarded the ‘Mons Travel Scholarship’ for artistic excellence. Unlike most other students who travelled in Europe, Malura used his scholarship to travel to India and Ceylon. He remained in the sub-continent for three years, met Mahatma Gandhi and spent time with Rabindranath Tagore. Deeply impressed by Tagore, Malura recorded a 12-minute silent film on Tagore as a painter teaching in open-air classes at Shantiniketan.

After World War II, he opened a gallery and art school in the cultural district of Schwabing in Munich. ‘Als Maler durch Indien’, an autobiographical book on Malura’s life in India, was published in 1949. Mahatma Gandhi and Tagore’s philosophy on life remained with Malura throughout his life. In the 1970’s, following his vision of a peaceful world, Malura created an artist’s retreat in Oberdießen, Bavaria, based on his experiences at Shantiniketan. Since 1993, his works have been on display at the Malura Museum in Oberdießen.