In the nineteenth century, with the decline of patronage and changed art markets, fables become more popular among painter, at least before they gained patrons.
Hodler
He first painted rural workers, in a distinctive earth palette. Then came the war, which changed everything.
Holder expressed what he saw as the deeper truth and the inner unity of the world around him. His paintings are fascinating and enduring.
Despite the death of his lover, the war, and his own declining health, he painted some of the most sublime landscapes of the century.
Before the First World War, he painted a huge mural in Hanover’s new town hall, portraits influenced by Klimt, and more marvellous landscapes. Here they are.
A major painter in Austria in the early 20th century, his early paintings appear Naturalist. Then in 1900 he saw the work of Hodler, and his work changed dramatically.
Two major figurative works, The Woodcutter and The Reaper, and a succession of landscapes with increasing rhythm and symmetry, and reduction to basic elements of form, colour, light.
It’s not Chinese, and for centuries was ignored, as lead white was preferred. It came into use during the 19th century, and is seen in paintings by Friedrich, Cézanne, van Gogh, Klimt, and Hodler.
A long-time friend of Ferdinand Hodler, he was a fine maker of portrait prints, and documented Hodler at work in sketches.
His love of rhythm and symmetry became clear in his figurative and landscape paintings, and attained international success at last.
