Introduction
Swiss art forms a major part of Kunstmuseum Bern’s collection. The current display focuses on certain aspects that are characteristic of the works of art being produced in Switzerland during the 19th and early 20th centuries, while simultaneously presenting important groups of works from the painting collection.
The display begins with Symbolist works in which artists were seeking to convey, beyond realistic representation, deeper, hidden desires, truths and feelings. The presentation starts in the stairwell with the section Dialogue with Nature, addressing humanity’s desire for a spiritual connection with nature. In the first gallery a dark counterpoint follows with Hidden Reality in the form of allegorical, mythological and melancholic painterly inventions. The next section, The Transience of Being, presents works ranging from Albert Anker to Annie Stebler-Hopf that approach the subject of mortality and death from the perspective of Realist painting.
The section Ode to the Alps is dedicated to the tradition of depicting the Swiss mountain landscape, while Serene Strength, in the following gallery, brings together works portraying the rural population going about their work. Expressive Worlds in the ancillary gallery assembles works by Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and the Swiss Expressionists involved in the Rot-Blau (Red Blue) group of artists. The exhibition concludes with Bourgeois Leisure, a presentation of works ranging from Cuno Amiet to Louis Moilliet, exploring the various aspects of urban leisure activities.