Ferdinand Hodler facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ferdinand Hodler
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Self-portrait, 1912
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| Born | March 14, 1853 Bern, Switzerland
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| Died | May 19, 1918 (aged 65) Geneva, Switzerland
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| Known for | painting |
| Movement | Symbolism |
Ferdinand Hodler (born March 14, 1853 – died May 19, 1918) was a famous Swiss painter. He lived in the 1800s and early 1900s. At first, he painted realistic pictures of people, places, and everyday life. Later, he created his own unique style called "parallelism," which used symbols.
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Early Life and Art Training
Ferdinand Hodler was born in Bern, Switzerland. He was the oldest of six children. His family faced tough times. By the age of eight, he had lost his father and two younger brothers to a serious illness.
His mother remarried a painter named Gottlieb Schüpach. Ferdinand helped his stepfather paint signs and other things for money. When he was 14, his mother also passed away. Ferdinand was then sent to Thun. There, he became an apprentice to a local painter, Ferdinand Sommer. He learned to paint traditional mountain scenes, often copied from prints. He sold these paintings to shops and tourists.
Starting His Painting Career
In 1871, at 18, Hodler walked to Geneva to become a professional painter. He studied art at the Collège de Genève. He also copied paintings by Alexandre Calame in the museum. In 1873, he became a student of Barthélemy Menn. He also studied the ideas of the famous artist Dürer about how to draw people correctly.
In 1875, Hodler visited Basel. He studied paintings by Hans Holbein the Younger, especially Dead Christ in the Tomb. This painting greatly influenced his later works about death. In 1878, he traveled to Madrid, Spain. He spent several months there. He studied the works of great masters like Titian, Poussin, and Velázquez at the Museo del Prado.
In 1880–81, Hodler painted a Self-Portrait (The Angry One). It showed his frustration with being poor and not well-known. People in Geneva made fun of it. But it was his first work accepted by the Paris Salon, a famous art show.
Hodler's early paintings were very realistic. They showed landscapes, groups of people, and portraits. In 1884, he met Augustine Dupin, who became his partner and model. Their son, Hector Hodler, was born in 1887. Hector later started the World Esperanto Association.
Ferdinand Hodler was married twice. His first marriage was to Bertha Stucki from 1889 to 1891. He painted her in his work Poetry (1897). In 1898, he married Berthe Jacques, whom he had met in 1894.
Developing "Parallelism"
Towards the end of the 1800s, Hodler's art style changed. It started to mix ideas from symbolism and art nouveau. In 1890, he finished Night. This painting showed his move towards symbolic art. It shows sleeping figures and an upset man threatened by a dark figure. Hodler meant this dark figure to represent death.
A few months later, Hodler showed Night in Paris. It received good reviews and was praised by famous artists like Puvis de Chavannes and Rodin.
Hodler created a unique style he called "parallelism." This style focused on symmetry and rhythm. He believed these elements were important in human society. In paintings like The Chosen One (1893), groups of people are arranged symmetrically. Their poses suggest a ritual or dance. Hodler saw women as representing harmony with nature. Children or young people represented innocence and energy. In Eurythmy (1895), the idea of death is shown by five men in robes walking in a line on a path covered with fallen leaves.
Later Works and Recognition
Hodler painted many large historical paintings, often with patriotic themes. In 1897, he was asked to paint large frescoes for the Weapons Room of the Schweizerisches Landesmuseum in Zurich. His ideas, including The Battle of Marignan (which showed a battle the Swiss lost), were controversial. He was not allowed to paint them until 1900.
In 1900, Hodler showed three major works—Night, Eurythmy, and Day (1900)—at the Exposition Universelle in Paris. These paintings won awards. He was invited to join important art groups in Berlin and Vienna. In 1904, he showed 31 works in Vienna. This brought him more fame and sales, finally helping him escape poverty.
After 1900, Hodler's work became more expressionistic. His figures were strongly colored and more geometric. His landscapes became simpler, sometimes just a piece of land between water and sky. For example, in Lake Geneva (around 1911), the lines of the shore, mountains, and their reflections, along with the clouds, create a balanced picture of the world.
In 1900, Hodler also designed a new Swiss postage stamp. His design, showing a herder from Freiburg, was used 35 years later on a special stamp series in 1936.
In 1908, Hodler met Valentine Godé-Darel. She became his partner. In 1913, Valentine became very ill. Hodler spent many hours by her bedside. He created a remarkable series of paintings that showed her decline. Her death in January 1915 deeply affected Hodler. He then painted about 20 self-portraits in 1916, looking deeply at himself.
In 1914, Hodler signed a petition from Geneva intellectuals. It spoke out against German attacks on the Reims Cathedral during World War I. His friends tried to make him take back his signature, but he refused. Because of this, he was removed from several German art groups.
By 1917, Hodler's health was getting worse. Even though he was mostly in bed, he painted many views of Geneva from his balcony. He passed away on May 19, 1918.
Hodler's Legacy
During his time, Hodler's large paintings with patriotic themes were very popular. His work helped bring new life to monumental wall painting. It is seen as representing the Swiss national identity.
Many of Hodler's most famous paintings show people doing everyday activities. A well-known example is Der Holzfäller (The Woodcutter, 1910). In 1908, the Swiss National Bank asked Hodler to design new paper money. His designs were unique. Instead of famous people, he chose to show a woodcutter for the 50 Swiss franc bank note and a reaper for the 100 Franc note. Both designs appeared on the banknotes in 1911.
Much of Hodler's art is now in public collections in Switzerland. Other important museums that have his works include the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, and the Art Institute of Chicago.
See also
In Spanish: Ferdinand Hodler para niños
