The Landsgemeinde

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The Landsgemeinde

The Landsgemeinde is a fresco by Albert Welti and Wilhelm Balmer . It adorns the hall of the Council of States in the Federal Palace in Bern . The work was commissioned in 1907 and completed by Balmer in 1914, two years after Welti's death.

description

The picture is divided into five fields by the painted pillars and represents a rural community across the corner . Welti was modeled on the rural community square of the canton of Nidwalden in Wil an der Aa near Stans , which is a ring of walls surrounded by trees and extends over all five fields . Since Welti did not like the landscape, he chose the view for the surroundings that can be seen from the Landsgemeindeplatz of the canton of Obwalden in Sarnen . In the first field from the left the Bürgenstock can be seen on the left , the Stanserhorn on the right and the Sarner Aa below it , in the second field the Ächerli Pass and a bridge (probably the Hohe Brücke between Kerns and Flüeli-Ranft ), in the third field the Nünalphorn and the Huetstock , including the chapel of Flüeli-Ranft, in the fourth field the mountain range with the Lachenhörnli and in the fifth field the Sarnersee with Sachseln , the Kleiner Melchtal and in the background Wildgersthorn and Schwarzhorn .

More than 150 people are depicted in the painting. They wear clothes that were customary in the 18th century. Most of them listen to a gesticulating speaker who is standing in the fourth field on the wall. In the same field you can see three women on raised, covered seats who work as vote counters. In the third picture the Landammann is leaning on his sword ; he is surrounded by other members of the government as well as representatives of the Church. In the third picture, facing away from the scene, stands a horn blower in red and white official costume.

Moving scenes take place almost entirely outside the wall. In the first picture, women shake hands as a greeting, while a boy is playing with a dog and a man is climbing the wall. In the second picture, an older, white-haired man approaches the meeting late and children speak to a soldier. In the third picture three boys are fighting, in the fourth picture a woman is breastfeeding her child, a girl next to them is picking flowers. Finally, in the fifth picture, a woman pours the drummer wine while two other women wave to a ship on the lakeshore.

In memory of his deceased friend, Balmer gave Welti's facial features to the man on the far right talking to the standard-bearer. An inscription is carved into his blue vest: Amicus amico ("the friend in friendship").

History of origin

The parliament building with the halls of the National Council and the Council of States was inaugurated on April 1, 1902. Paneled pilasters and arcades divided the south wall of the Council of States hall into five fields, otherwise the wall was completely white. At the meeting on June 25, 1906, the Zurich Council of States Paul Usteri made the proposal to put a painting on the wall. Federal Councilor Marc Ruchet formed a commission with four members of the Council of States . She recommended a landscape or historical picture, whereby the choice of the motif should be left to the performing artist.

In the summer of 1907 the commission asked Albert Welti whether he was interested in this contract. Welti hesitated at first and was of the opinion that Ferdinand Hodler might be better suited. In the end he agreed to do so, but made the condition that his friend Wilhelm Balmer could also participate. He suggested a rural community as a motif , "because this characterizes the origin of our republic particularly well and, through its allusion to the old Confederation and the old towns, emphasizes certain relationships with the essence of the Council of States Assembly".

In December 1907 Welti and Balmer were commissioned to carry out the painting. In 1908/09 Welti first single-handedly created a 1:10 model; this is exhibited today in the Kunsthaus Zürich . Then Welti and Balmer began to make half-size boxes together . For this purpose, they traveled to Nidwalden and made portraits of around 150 people. Welti fell seriously ill at the end of 1911, which is why Balmer started to make the boxes in their original size. After Welti's death on June 7, 1912, Balmer transferred the cardboard boxes onto the wall using a fresco technique. He completed the work in March 1914.

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Johannes Stückelberger: The artistic furnishings of the Federal Palace in Bern . In: Swiss National Museum (Ed.): Journal for Swiss Archeology and Art History . tape 42 . Karl Schwegler AG, Zurich 1985, p. 209-210 .
  2. ↑ a b Johannes Stückelberger: The artistic furnishings of the Bundeshaus in Bern, p. 210
  3. ^ Monica Bilfinger: The Federal Palace in Bern . Ed .: Society for Swiss Art History. Swiss art guide, volume 859 . Bern 2009, ISBN 978-3-85782-859-1 , p. 44 .
  4. ↑ Johannes Stückelberger: The artistic furnishings of the Bundeshaus in Bern, pp. 196–197
  5. ↑ Johannes Stückelberger: The artistic furnishings of the Federal Palace in Bern, p. 209
  6. ↑ Johannes Stückelberger: The artistic furnishings of the Bundeshaus in Bern, p. 198

Coordinates: 46 ° 56 '48 "  N , 7 ° 26' 39.2"  E ; CH1903:  600425  /  199511