Lot 3490 A191 Postwar & Contemporary

Koller Auktionen - Lot 3490 A191 PostWar & Contemporary - Saturday 07 December 2019, 02.00 PM

WALTER BODMER

(1903 Basel 1973)

Untiteld. 1985

Worked metall.

Height 107 cm (incl. base).

We thank Galerie Carzaniga, Basel, for their kind support. Provenance: - Galerie zem Specht, Basel. - Private collection Switzerland. Literature: Editions Galerie "zem Specht" (ed.).: Walter Bodmer. Maler und Plastiker 1903-1073: zwischen Surrealismus und Konstruktion, Band 7, Basel, no. 110 (with ill.). The Swiss graphic artist, painter and sculptor Walter Bodmer was born in Basel in 1903. In 1919 he completed his art classes at the Allgemeine Gewerbeschule (vocational school) in Basel. 19 years later he taught nude and head drawing as well as anatomical

Koller Auctions, Hardturmstrasse 102, 8031 Zürich. Tel +41 44 445 63 63. [email protected] Koller Auktionen - Lot 3490 A191 PostWar & Contemporary - Saturday 07 December 2019, 02.00 PM drawing at the same school. In addition to his teaching profession, Bodmer did not lose sight of his activity as an artist. He was co-founder of "Gruppe 33", which was launched in 1933 as an anti-fascist association of Basel artists. With the Swiss artists Otto Abt and Walter Kurt, he spent some time in Paris. Later he also travelled in the South of France and Spain. In 1956 the Solomon-R.-Guggenheim Foundation awarded him the National Prize for his work, and in 1968 he was presented with the Art Prize of the City of Basel. Numerous public institutions such as the museums of Basel, Zurich, Bern and St. Gallen as well as in Paris, Stuttgart and Cambridge have his works in their collections. Bodmer died in 1973 at the age of 70. In his artistic work Walter Bodmer avoided being categorised. Nevertheless, Constructivist influences as well as Surrealism can be recognised in his works. Painting formed the beginning of his creative work, from which he gradually passed into drawing and wire pictures. Thus, his range developed from the original two-dimensional plane and took on spatial properties. The initially floating constructions were taken over by massive sculptural works. The latter were dominated by clear geometric lines. Works were created such as the sculpture presented here. Characteristic features are the elements of form that move along the simple elegant linear structure. Thus, his works are characterised by a dynamic composition which constantly offers the viewer a new perspective and is imbued with the precision of craftsmanship.

CHF 8 000 / 12 000 € 7 480 / 11 210

Koller Auctions, Hardturmstrasse 102, 8031 Zürich. Tel +41 44 445 63 63. [email protected] Koller Auktionen - Lot 3490 A191 PostWar & Contemporary - Saturday 07 December 2019, 02.00 PM

Koller Auctions, Hardturmstrasse 102, 8031 Zürich. Tel +41 44 445 63 63. [email protected]