Artwork
Paar rücklings auf Pferd
Paar rücklings auf Pferd is a tempera painting by the Art Nouveau artist Karl Walser. It dates from 1911 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1911, Paar rücklings auf Pferd is a tempera painting by Swiss artist Karl Walser. The work shows a couple seated backward on a horse within a calm, rolling landscape under a cloud‑filled sky. The composition balances muted tones with touches of green foliage and floral accents, emphasizing a quiet, pastoral mood.
Subject & Meaning
The scene presents an unusual perspective: the figures face away from the viewer, suggesting introspection or a narrative beyond the picture plane. Their dark clothing contrasts with the light‑toned horse, while the surrounding hills and vegetation frame the duo within an idyllic natural setting.
Technique & Style
Executed in tempera, the painting displays a smooth, matte surface characteristic of the medium. Subtle brushwork creates soft transitions of color, allowing the landscape’s atmospheric quality to emerge without overt texture. Elements of Art Nouveau, such as stylized forms and decorative detailing, are evident alongside influences from contemporary expressionism.
History & Provenance
Karl Walser, noted for stage designs, murals, and illustration, produced this work during a period of artistic exchange with peers like Max Beckmann. Paar rücklings auf Pferd entered the collection of the Kunsthaus Zürich, where it remains part of the museum’s holdings of early‑20th‑century Swiss art.
Context
The painting reflects the early 1910s Swiss art scene, where artists blended decorative Art Nouveau aesthetics with emerging modernist tendencies. Walser’s familial link to writer Robert Walser and his friendship with expressionist painters positioned him within a network of cultural figures influencing each other’s visual language.
Artist & collection
Artist
Karl Edmund Walser (April 8, 1877, Teufen - September 28, 1943, Bern) was a Swiss painter, stage designer, illustrator, muralist, and artist.
