Saturday, May 15, 2010

(Social) Realism: Switzerland




Albert Samuel Anker (1831 – 1910)

Albert Samuel Anker (April 1, 1831 – July 16, 1910) was a Swiss painter and illustrator who has been called the "national painter" of Switzerland because of his enduringly popular depictions of 19th-century Swiss village life. During his studies, Anker produced a series of works with historical and biblical themes, including paintings of Luther and Calvin. Anker moved to Paris, where he studied with Charles Gleyre and attended the École nationale supérieure des Beaux-Arts in 1855–60. He installed a studio in the attic of his parents' house and participated regularly in exhibitions in Switzerland and in Paris. Soon after returning to Ins, though, he turned to what would become his signature theme: the everyday life of people in rural communities. His paintings depict his fellow citizens in an unpretentious and plain manner, without idealising country life, but also without the critical examination of social conditions that can be found in the works of contemporaries such as Daumier, Courbet or Millet. Although Anker did paint occasional scenes with a social significance, such as visits by usurers or charlatans to the village, his affirmative and idealistic Christian world-view did not include an inclination to issue any sort of overt challenge.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Albert_Anker
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Albert_Anker




Ruedi Anker on his Deathbed



Anker Children's Funeral







The School Exams



Schoolboy
















Ernest Biéler (1863 - 1948)
Ernest Biéler (July 31, 1863 in Rolle, Switzerland- June 25, 1948 in Lausanne) was a Swiss painter. After completing his education in Lausanne, he studied at the académie Julian in Paris. In 1900, he received the silver medal of the Exposition Universelle of Paris. He founded with Raphaël Ritz, Edouard Vallet and others, the Ecole of Savièse. He was made a Knight of the Légion d'honneur.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ernest_Bieler
http://artinconnu.blogspot.com/2009/10/ernest-bieler-1863-1948.html
http://www.liveinternet.ru/users/pmos_nmos/post112187279/
http://felicitaraggiunta.blogspot.com/2008/12/anniversario-1-di-giovanni-pascoli.html






























World (Social) Realist Art (Index of Countries)
This blog page is part of an ongoing project by artist and part-time lecturer Caoimhghin Ó Croidheáin (http://gaelart.net/) to explore Realist / Social Realist art from around the world. The term Realism is used in its broadest sense to include 19th century Realism and Naturalism as well as 20th century Impressionism (which after all was following in the path of Courbet and Millet). Social Realism covers art that seeks to examine the living and working conditions of ordinary people (examples include German Expressionism, American Ashcan School and the Mexican Muralists).

Click here for (Social) Realist Art Definitions, World (Social) Realism and Global Solidarity, Art and Politics, Social Realism in history and Country Index.

Suggestions for appropriate artists from around the world welcome to caoimhghin@yahoo.com.

No comments: