Franz Gertsch - Ruschegg: Landmarks of Swiss Art

Franz Gertsch, a Swiss artist born in 1930, is known for his photorealistic paintings and prints. His work "Rüschegg," created in 1988, was his first woodcut landscape and his first large-format work in that genre. It marked a shift from his previous focus on portraiture to nature, reflecting his exploration of the elements of his garden in Rüschegg.

Format: Hardback
Length: 96 pages
Publication date: 24 February 2022
Publisher: Scheidegger und Spiess AG, Verlag

Franz Gertsch, a Swiss artist born in 1930, stands as one of the most significant figures in the realm of photorealism worldwide. However, unlike many of his contemporaries, he embraces a unique approach when translating photographs into his large-format paintings or prints, infusing them with a sense of animation and vitality.

One of Gertsch's pivotal works, Rüschegg, was created in 1988. This masterpiece represents a significant milestone in his artistic journey. Notably, it was his first attempt at woodcut for a landscape, as well as his first large-format work in this genre. After abandoning painting for nearly a decade as of 1986, Gertsch developed a distinctive woodcut technique. For many years, he had dedicated himself exclusively to portraiture, but now he embarked on a journey to explore nature.

Beginning from a picturesque view of his garden in the Swiss village of Rüschegg, Gertsch selected specific elements from the natural landscape, including a footpath, rocks, shrubs, trees, grass, and leaves. He treated these individual motifs as the starting points for his woodcuts, later expanding them into monumental portraits that captured the essence of these natural elements.

Rüschegg not only signifies Gertsch's departure from representing humans to embracing nature but also serves as a bridge between his earlier landscape studies and his later work. It encapsulates his artistic evolution, showcasing his ability to capture the beauty and essence of both human faces and landscapes with remarkable precision and depth.

Franz Gertsch's artistic legacy continues to inspire and captivate audiences around the globe, showcasing his exceptional talent and his unique vision as a painter. His ability to breathe life into his depictions of both the natural world and human faces sets him apart as a master of photorealism and a true visionary in the art world.

Weight: 618g
Dimension: 221 x 256 x 16 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9783858816634