FERDINAND HODLER (1853-1918)

In the late summer of 1907 Ferdinand Hodler undertook a journey to Engadin and painted six landscapes in the area around Silvaplana. Piz Corvatsch was produced during a stay of several weeks between the end of August and the end of September 1907. The accounts of the painter Willy F. Burger (1882-1964), who set up his easel next to that of Hodler near the Surlej plain, give us an insight into his artistic examination of the landscape of Engadin. Hodler chose the left bank of the Champfèr Lake, looking towards the south-west not far from the place where it flows into the Silvaplana lake as the location of the painting Piz Corvatsch. The confluence of the two lakes is within view through the green headlands. Once again the painter left out any traces of civilization and decided against depicting Burg Crap da Sass on the far bank. Depicted are the snow-covered peak of Piz Corvatsch to the right and Piz Murtel painted in distinct rust red tones. With the unique upright format of this group of works, Hodler sought to enhance the vertical thrust of the mountain pyramid. His fascination with pyramids is apparent in the sketches in his note book, such as that of Schafberg which he drew on a journey over the Albula on the way to St. Moritz. Not only through the composition, but also with the use of form he brought the solitary mountain, its flanks traced by the clouds, into the centre of the image. The colour is a key element in the composition of the series of Engadin landscapes, separating the distinct zones such as lake, forest and rock from each other. The oval of the Champfèr Lake, the horizontal line of the hills and the pyramids draw their form from the colours. This observation is supported by a statement from one of Hodler's sketchbooks: 'Schöne Farben machen Formen noch viel schöner' (beautiful colours make form yet more beautiful). The relationship between the narrow horizontal strip of the Silvaplana Lake and the horizontal wooded zone ties in with a further compositional type which Hodler employed in the work Silvaplanersee (Christie's 1999, lot 80) painted to the south west of Silvaplana. The section of the picture composed of horizontal layers of colour, which is topographically connected to Piz Corvatsch, suggests that these two views were produced directly after one another.

We are grateful to Dr. Monika Brunner, author Catalogue raisonné Ferdinand Hodler and Project Manager, Art History Department, Swiss Institute of Art History (SIK-ISEA) in Zurich, for this catalogue entry.