Ferdinand Hodler
We continue our special month with Kunstmuseum Basel's collection with this amazing landscape by one of the best-known Swiss painters of the 19th century, Ferdinand Hodler. Enjoy!
Hodler loved to paint landscapes, with which, in his own words, he wanted to bring out “nature’s essential beauty." In the hustle and bustle of the mid- to late-19th century, when Switzerland first became a popular tourist destination and was feeling the impact of industrial growth, Hodler's landscapes offered a breath of fresh air. His paintings depicted the Swiss scenery in its pure, untouched glory, completely free from the marks of the Industrial Revolution. In Hodler's world, nature was at its most ideal.
For the artist, capturing landscapes wasn't just about painting pretty scenes; it was a deeper, more philosophical pursuit. He believed that through careful and structured observation of a location, a painter could uncover the underlying laws of nature and the world. Hodler's approach to landscape painting was like a patient study, a quest to understand and reveal the hidden truths of our natural surroundings.
Hodler's pieces are among my favorite landscape paintings. I love his art; it is full of air and calm!
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P.P.S. Want to see more of Ferdinand Hodler's landscapes? Join us as we take a quick tour around some of his outstanding mountain paintings!