Touching, fresh and inspiring, the new exhibition of the Swiss painter, Hans Emmenegger reflect on (the lake of) Switzerland
1. Hans Emmenegger (1866 - 1940), Réflexion sur l’eau ou Petit bateau à vapeur se reflétant sur l’eau, 1909, Oil on canvas, 85,5 x 150,5 cm, Kunstmuseum Luzern Depositum der Stiftung BEST Art Collection Luzern, Vormals Bernhard Eglin-Stiftung, Photo: © Andri Stadler, Lucerne
Unknown? Popular? Or both?
With more than a hundred paintings an few contemporary or modern outlook on his oeuvre, the Fondation tries to reposition the oeuvre of Hans Emmenegger, and to shed a new light on his incredible and avant-gardist landscape.
Learning, with style and influence
2. Hans Emmenegger (1866 - 1940), Période jurassique, 1895, Oil on canvas,
66,5 x 93,5 cm, Kunstmuseum Luzern, Photo: © Andri Stadler, Lucerne
As a Lucerne born artist, Hans Emmenegger started his studies at the Lucerne School of Applied Art from 1883 until 1884. During the autumn of 1883, he will meet Hugo Siegwart (1865 - 1938), an important sculptor of the time. While both of them started their friendship, Emmenegger decided to move to Paris to have a better and more avant-garde education in Paris.
While he moved to Paris and studied at the Académie Julian, he will encounter the works and friendships of Gustave Boulanger (1824 - 1888) and Jules Lefebvre (1834 - 1912), before embarking as the student of Jean-Léon Gérôme (1824 - 1904).
Nonetheless, he will continue to encounter many works and artists such as Cuno Amiet, Giovanni Giacometti and Max Buri, in Munich in 1885-1886.
1887, a breakthrough year of art and discoveries
In 1887, Hans Emmenegger move back to Paris after a year or two in Munich. At this occasion, he will encounter the works of well-known figures of Impressionist, Post-Impressionist of event Modern art such as Paul Gauguin (1848 - 1903), Vincent Van Gogh (1853 - 1890), Paul Cézanne (1839 - 1906) and even Georges Seurat (1859 - 1891). For Emmenegger, all of those influence will translate into his works.
3. Hans Emmenegger (1866 - 1940), Garçon vu de dos, 1890, Pastel on paper,
60 x 47,5 cm, Kunstmuseum Luzern, Deposit from a private collection, Photo: Unknown
In the show, you will encounter this small work of Hans Emmenegger, depicting a young men, sit on a rock. his about to swim, or he already did, but it's a clear link between Georges Seurat and Emmenegger.
While Emmenegger was in Paris until 1891, he will encounter the studio and the death of the artist. Therefore, he will check out all the masterpieces Seurat had, such as the drawings and the paintings. In particular, the painting from 1884 titled "Bathers at Asnières" and the drawing "Garçon nu assis" from 1883.
4. (Left) Georges Seurat (1859 - 1891), Bathers at Asnières, 1884, Oil on canvas, 201 x 300 cm, The National Gallery of London, Photo: Unknown
5. (Right) Georges Seurat (1859 - 1891), Seated Nude: study for "une Baignade", 1883, Conte crayon on cream paper, 31,70 x 24,70 cm, Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art, Photo: Antonia Reeve
If you compare them, you can see the influence and the ambiguity between the two artists.
Lucerne and the Swiss Art scene of the 20th century
Since 1893 and the death of Emmenegger father, Hans live in Lucerne, and in the domain of Emmen. During those time, he moves his studio to his house and prepare for the 4th national exhibition of fine-art in Geneva in 1896.
But, as he will encounter many artists in this exhibition, mainly Swiss or French artists. Therefore, he will participate in the Universal exhibition in Paris, in 1900, where he will present the Lac Bleu, a painting from 1899.
6. Hans Emmenegger (1866 - 1940), Blausee, 1899, Oil on canvas, 70,5 x 98 cm,
Kunstmuseum Luzern, Deposit from the Kunstsammlung Gemeinde Emmen, Photo: Unknown
But, as the death of Arnold Böcklin (1827 - 1901) in 1901, one of the most influential artist for Hans Emmenegger was lost. Therefore, he will need to encompass a new group of artists such as Holder (1853 - 1918), Amiet (1868 - 1961) and Giacometti (1868 - 1933).
Nonetheless, he will visit the Geneva studio of Holder, and as a good friend and art collector he will buy 10 drawings and sketches. But, as his collections grew with paintings, drawings, posters and minerals, Hans will find a new inspiration for his art.
Landscapes, still life and woodland
7. Hans Emmenegger (1866 - 1940), Oranges, 1911, Oil on canvas, 33 x 46,4 cm,
Kunstmuseum Luzern, Photo: © Andri Stadler, Lucerne
The genre of Still life is not a new genre for the artist, but Hans will developed his training and his production around this theme. Therefore, he will use this genre as a work of art and as a support for his research and experimentation (technics, colors, contrasts, shadows, etc.).
Hans will observe and depict numerous environment such as a bouquet of flowers, a vegetable or a fruit and even a fish or a container. But, he will never add two different objets in one composition, he will prefer to focus on the gray and while background and the colurful flesh of the fruit.
8. Hans Emmenegger (1866 - 1940), Intérieur de forêt, 1933, Oil on canvas,
100 x 65 cm, Pictet collection, Photo: Unknown
Created mostly in the 1920s and 1930s, the woodland of Hand depict the forest interior, by series. While his not the first Swiss painter depicting the forest, he was influenced by Arnold Böcklin, Cuno Amiet, Ferdinand Holder or Niklaus Stoecklin (1896 - 1982).
In contrary to all of those artists, Emmenger goes into the essential features of a landscape: the "floor" of the landscape is clean, remove from leaves and plants, the framing is horizontal and the tree, infinite. The scene even had an unreal light, accenting the "cinema" aspect of the scene.
9. Hans Emmenegger (1866 - 1940), Pâturage ensoleillé, 1904, Oil on canvas, 54,5 x 73,5 cm,
Collection d'art de la Confédération, Office fédéral de la culture, Berne, Photo: Unknown
Finally, a Swiss can't have enough of their fabulous, untouched and fresh landscape. As Hans had his early years between France, Germany, Algeria and Italy, he will settled in Lucerne for the rest of his life. Due to his love with nature and his many trips in the mountain, he was clearly inspired by the landscape of Ferdinand Holder and the Norwegian artist, Harald Sohlberg (1860 - 1935).
Due to all of this inspiration, is will become one of themes important member of the Swiss Alpine Club, and later discover the Mount Pilate, Schärhorn, Felsturm, Milchbach, Sustenspitz and their numerous views and peaks.
The end, unknown and poor...
10. Hans Emmenegger (1866 - 1940), Canari en vol s'éloignant de l'observateur dans
l'obscurité, 1927, Oil on canvas, 49,5 x 69 cm, Priva collection, Photo: © Andri Stadler, Lucerne
At the end of his life, the Kunstmuseum of Lucerne dedicated a full retrospective to his incredible work. But at the same time, Cuno Amiet will give him 2 000 CHF to cover his numerous financial problems.
Nonetheless, the problem will continue and he will need to sell many of his work in 1931, just a few years before his death in his house, near Lucerne...
Informations about the exhibition
Place: Fondation de l'Hermitage
Date: 25.6.2021 – 31.10.2022
Curators: Sylvie Wuhrmann & Corinne Currat
Ticket: Available online OR at the front desk of the museum
Informations about the Fondation de l'Hermitage
© Lucas GASGAR / Lucas Art Talks 2021
