Myths and Mysteries. Symbolism and Swiss Artists
When the first symbolist works were produced in 1890, Swiss artists such as Ferdinand Hodler, or Carlos Schwabe played a pivotal role. The show «Myths and Mysteries» is presenting masterpieces of the symbolist epoch over a space of 1000 square meters, with artworks from Switzerland as well as from neighboring European countries.
For the first time ever, the exhibition Myth and Mysteries points out by drawing on fundamental comparisons Switzerland’s key position in symbolism. Leading Swiss painters, sculptors, graphic artists, and photographers will be viewed in the context of their relationships to artists in the neighboring countries of France, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Belgium, the birthplace of symbolism. Besides Ferdinand Hodler, Arnold Böcklin, Carlos Schwabe, Giovanni Segantini, and Félix Vallotton the show is featuring masterpieces by Gustav Klimt, Fernand Khnopff, Franz von Stuck, Gaetano Previati, William Degouve de Nuncques, and Hans Thoma. The overview exhibition is spread over two levels over an entire space of 1000 square meters and thematically subdivided into the following sections: Night / Woman / Nature / Mountains / Animals and Mythical Creatures / Salon de la Rose + Croix / Dance / Rhythm / The Planet Mars / Hypnosis / Agony / Death / Violence / The Diabolical / Angels and Paradise / The Cosmos.
The exhibition comprises 200 works, that is, paintings, drawings, photographs, prints, books, posters, and sculptures. Among them are major pieces formerly shown at the Salon de la Rose+Croix in Paris, the Secession exhibitions in Vienna and Munich, and the Venice Biennial. Around one third of the works exhibited are from the Kunstmuseum Bern Collection. Loans from Swiss and famous international museums will augment our holdings. Additionally, the Federal Government and the Gottfried Keller Foundation, together with prominent collectors in Switzerland and Europe, have agreed to loans for the exhibition at the Kunstmuseum Bern.
From September 14, 2013 to January 12, 2012 the exhibition will be presented at the Museo Cantonale d'Arte, Lugano.
