Ferdinand Hodler (1853-1918) was one of the best-known Swiss Symbolist painters of the nineteenth century.
Hodler was the son of a carpenter and a woman of peasant stock. His parents and all five of his siblings had died of tuberculosis by the time he reached adulthood.
The works of Hodler’s early maturity consisted of landscapes, figure compositions, and portraits, treated with a vigorous realism.
Many of Hodler’s best-known paintings are scenes in which characters are engaged in everyday activities.
In the last decade of the nineteenth century his work evolved to combine influences from several genres including symbolism and art nouveau.
Hodler developed a style he called “parallelism” that emphasized the symmetry and rhythm he believed formed the basis of human society.
Throughout the latter part of his career, Hodler’s depictions of Swiss patriotism and historic scenes became increasing popular with his countrymen.
More of Ferdinand Hodler‘s art can be found at https://wooarts.com/ferdinand-hodler/
Humoring the Goddess 