Ferdinand Hodler - A Symbolist Vision
Hodler's oeuvre in an unparalleled overview
The Museum of Fine Arts Bern is showing one of the most important and comprehensive Hodler exhibitions comprising over 150 major works from all periods. The exhibition was arranged in collaboration with the Museum of Visual Arts Budapest and offers the viewer a unique overview of Hodler's oeuvre while clearly establishing the international significance of this Swiss painter. His large symbolist figure paintings are shown alternating with his best landscapes. The exhibition is rounded out with Hodler's group of works dealing with the dying and death of his mistress Valentine Godé-Darel and with a selection of self-portraits.
Hodler's symbolist vision of a harmonious unity between
mankind and nature, the vision of an all-pervading cosmic unity, is at
the heart of this exhibition. With his work, he wanted to show the idea
behind the realistic appearance of things and to reveal their deeper
reality. He consistently intensified the depiction of reality into the
symbolist while searching for generally valid expressions of human
existence and symbolically portraying emotions. In his paintings, the
human figure is often to be seen as part of a greater whole under the
open sky in an elemental state of being. With his very personal oeuvre,
Hodler made an important contribution to the avant-garde of his time.
Preoccupation with the fundamental themes of humanity
All his life, Hodler was occupied with basic human themes such as love,
death, hope, belief. From his beginnings in Realism he searched for
general natural laws and regulative structures. He transposed the
principles of Parallelism in the composition of many of his works: the
repetition of similar figures, reflections, a severely symmetrical
construct or a systematic shifting are typical design elements in
Hodler's works. The figure compositions, landscapes, portraits and
self-portraits in the exhibition also give insight into Hodler's method
of working and his artistic credo. Hodler's group of works dealing with
the sick and dying Valentine Godé-Darel is unique in the history of art. These paintings complete the exhibition.
Outstanding and large format paintings
For the first time, different versions of the outstanding symbolistic
figure compositions have been set in relation to one another thus making possible new insight into Hodler's complex development of motif. The
exhibition was conceived by Matthias Frehner and Katharina Schmidt. From autumn 2008 it can also be seen in Budapest in a slightly different
form. A well-known exhibition architect was commissioned for the
presentation in Bern. Hodler's works can be viewed in the old building
of the Museum of Fine Arts Bern in rooms designed solely for this
exhibition. A varied accompanying programme (including a symposium) and a comprehensive catalogue will round out the exhibition. The catalogue
contains important new research provided by specialists which will
contribute greatly to a lasting repositioning of Hodler.
