V. Serene Strength
From the second half of the 19th century onwards, depictions of peasant and working-class milieus became increasingly prevalent in Swiss art. Unlike many of their French and German colleagues, most Swiss artists produced motifs that were less socially critical in denouncing the harsh living and working conditions of specific social classes, but rather depictions of the milieu in which they themselves had grown up or now lived. These take the form of contemplative scenes depicting farmers and craftsmen at work, resting and socialising.
The rural population embodied a lifestyle involving an immersion in nature, modest living and hard work, which became elevated to an important component of national identity. Such depictions and how they were received often entailed a patriotic tone, which only intensified with the rise of nationalism at the beginning of the 20th century.
An example would be Ferdinand Hodler’s composition Der Holzfäller (The Woodcutter), which he conceived, together with Der Mäher (The Mower), for a series of banknotes on the subject of ‘work in Switzerland’. Executed as a monumental figure, the artist described the Holzfäller as ‘an unparalleled image of passionate, yet purposeful and serene strength, one that is almost impossible to tire of’. The iconic image quickly enjoyed great popularity, was repeated by Hodler in several subsequent versions and remains one of his best-known works today.