Holder expressed what he saw as the deeper truth and the inner unity of the world around him. His paintings are fascinating and enduring.
symbolism
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.
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.
His love of rhythm and symmetry became clear in his figurative and landscape paintings, and attained international success at last.
His Symbolism or Parallelism continued to develop in figurative works, whilst his landscape included breathtaking views over Lake Geneva, and in the Bernese Alps.
Fascinating paintings showing his transition from realism to Symbolism, emphasising symmetry and rhythm in society.
In his later work, he used pastels more, creating soft images of twilight scenes in town and country.
A Symbolist, Realist, or Naturalist? His early theme was the tribulations of a woman’s life, and his images often haunting.
Friend and biographer of Gustave Moreau, his story and works have now all but vanished. Here are some enigmatic Symbolist paintings.
