DOI Heft:
No. 370 (January 1924)
DOI Artikel:Taylor, Horace: Ferdinand Hodler
DOI Seite / Zitierlink:https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.21399#0021
THE STUDIO
FERDINAND HODLER. BY
HORACE TAYLOR. 000
ALTHOUGH honoured in France and
Germany before the War as one of the
greatest figures in modern art, Hodler is
still almost unknown in this country. To
Switzerland he is what Wagner is to
Germany. Scorned for the most part during
his lifetime, he is now recognised as the
greatest expression of the Swiss national
character in art. He has done more for art
in Switzerland than Segantini or Bocklin,
and may one day rank with Holbein. 0
The son of a carpenter, Ferdinand
Hodler was born on March 14th, 1853,
at Gurzelen, canton Berne. Through his
stepfather the boy became apprenticed
to a painter named Sommer, who had
a sort of picture factory for hand-painted
“ views ” for sale to tourists and others.
Hodler entered Sommer’s studio at the
age of sixteen and worked there for
about a year. Having accidentally spoilt a
silken banner, of which he had been told
to take the greatest care, Hodler ran away
to his uncle in Langenthal, a shoemaker
called Neukomm, who afterwards figured
in several of Hodler's paintings. 0 0
In Langenthal the boy did quite good
business with his “ views.” But it never
occurred to him at this time to paint or
draw from Nature. And when at eighteen
he tramped to Geneva it was not art that
called him but the thirst for knowledge. He
scarcely understood French, but taught
himself well enough to enter a lycee and
attend lectures at the University. 0
He lived by selling views, and it was
finding that these did not sell so easily here
as in Langenthal that drove him to copy
in the Museum, and finally to study under
Barthelemy Menn. He worked for five
years and succeeded in learning to paint
with a surprising mastery. 000
But even now it did not occur to him that
art could be an outlet for his deep emotions.
He belonged to a small religious sect and
wanted to become a parson, but he was
Vol. LXXXVII. No. 370.—January 1934.
obliged to prosecute his painting by the
necessity of earning a living. 0 0
This was no easy matter. The real article
was not so easy to dispose of as the arti-
ficial “ views.” With the help of friends,
and by winning occasional prize competi-
tions, Hodler contrived to live and work.
For years his only bed was a cupboard door
laid on two chairs and covered with cloth-
ing. Though gradually a few friends
gathered round him, his pictures found
little favour with the public and were
nearly always attacked in the press. 0
Exhibitions of his work in Geneva (1885)
and in Berne (1887) were failures. But in
this latter year Hodler had some consolation
“ THE BEGGAR." BY
FERDINAND HODLER
(By courtesy of Messrs.
Rascher & Co., Zurich)
3
FERDINAND HODLER. BY
HORACE TAYLOR. 000
ALTHOUGH honoured in France and
Germany before the War as one of the
greatest figures in modern art, Hodler is
still almost unknown in this country. To
Switzerland he is what Wagner is to
Germany. Scorned for the most part during
his lifetime, he is now recognised as the
greatest expression of the Swiss national
character in art. He has done more for art
in Switzerland than Segantini or Bocklin,
and may one day rank with Holbein. 0
The son of a carpenter, Ferdinand
Hodler was born on March 14th, 1853,
at Gurzelen, canton Berne. Through his
stepfather the boy became apprenticed
to a painter named Sommer, who had
a sort of picture factory for hand-painted
“ views ” for sale to tourists and others.
Hodler entered Sommer’s studio at the
age of sixteen and worked there for
about a year. Having accidentally spoilt a
silken banner, of which he had been told
to take the greatest care, Hodler ran away
to his uncle in Langenthal, a shoemaker
called Neukomm, who afterwards figured
in several of Hodler's paintings. 0 0
In Langenthal the boy did quite good
business with his “ views.” But it never
occurred to him at this time to paint or
draw from Nature. And when at eighteen
he tramped to Geneva it was not art that
called him but the thirst for knowledge. He
scarcely understood French, but taught
himself well enough to enter a lycee and
attend lectures at the University. 0
He lived by selling views, and it was
finding that these did not sell so easily here
as in Langenthal that drove him to copy
in the Museum, and finally to study under
Barthelemy Menn. He worked for five
years and succeeded in learning to paint
with a surprising mastery. 000
But even now it did not occur to him that
art could be an outlet for his deep emotions.
He belonged to a small religious sect and
wanted to become a parson, but he was
Vol. LXXXVII. No. 370.—January 1934.
obliged to prosecute his painting by the
necessity of earning a living. 0 0
This was no easy matter. The real article
was not so easy to dispose of as the arti-
ficial “ views.” With the help of friends,
and by winning occasional prize competi-
tions, Hodler contrived to live and work.
For years his only bed was a cupboard door
laid on two chairs and covered with cloth-
ing. Though gradually a few friends
gathered round him, his pictures found
little favour with the public and were
nearly always attacked in the press. 0
Exhibitions of his work in Geneva (1885)
and in Berne (1887) were failures. But in
this latter year Hodler had some consolation
“ THE BEGGAR." BY
FERDINAND HODLER
(By courtesy of Messrs.
Rascher & Co., Zurich)
3