Ernest Biéler

Vevey, Musée Jenisch, Ernest Biéler, 1944, Nr. 6

Scattered minor paint losses on the left men's left hand and between the two main figures in the brown background. Some minor spots visible on the left hand of the third figure from the left and above the eyes of the fourth figure. Under UV-light no visible retouching. Good condition
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Ernest Biéler lebte seit 1889 im Walliser Dorf Savièse oberhalb von Sion. Als Mitbegründer der Société des traditions valaisannes setzte er sich für die Bewahrung der kulturellen Traditionen im Wallis ein. Er ist vor allem bekannt für seine eindrücklichen Bildnisse der Savièser Bevölkerung. Ab 1917 betrieb er neben der Malerei auch Weinbau in Rivaz.

Biéler hat in unserem Bild seine Protagonisten der bäuerlichen Lebenswirklichkeit als starke Persönlichkeiten charakterisiert, deren Gesichter die Intensität eines arbeitsreichen Lebens in den Weinbergen und auf dem Hof wiederspiegeln. Dieses Werk ist ein typisches und lebendiges Charakterporträt des geselligen Zusammenseins im Anschluss an einen harten Arbeitstag. Der Maler verstand es dabei eindrucksvoll sein Interesse an Licht- und Schatteneffekten sowie  an den feinen Farbabstufungen mit einer respektvollen Annäherung an die uns unbekannten Männer zu verbinden.

From 1889 onwards, Ernest Biéler lived in the village of Savièse above Sion, in the canton of Valais. As co-founder of the Société des traditions valaisannes, he dedicated himself to the preservation of cultural traditions in Valais. He is especially known for his impressive portraits of the people of Savièse. Aside from painting, he ran a vineyard in Rivaz from 1917 onwards.

In the present work, Biéler depicts his protagonists as strong people, in keeping with the harsh rural living conditions in the mountains. Their faces reflect the intensity of a hardworking life in the vineyards and on farms. This painting is a typical and lively character portrait of a social gathering after a hard day’s work. The artist skilfully shows his interest in the interplay of light and shadow and the fine nuances of colour, respectfully approaching the unknown men in order to give the viewer insight into their world.

Ethel Mathier wird diese Arbeit in den Oeuvrekatalog Ernest Biéler aufnehmen.