Hodler painting fetches CHF4.3 million at auction
A painting of Lake Thun by Swiss artist Ferdinand Hodler has been sold for CHF4.3 million ($4.35 million) during an auction that fetched almost CHF8 million for a range of classic and contemporary Swiss art.
Sothebys said it was their best haul for a single auction of Swiss art for three years, bringing their total sales in this category to more than CHF13 million so far this year.
Hodler’s ‘Thunersee mit Stockhornkette im Winter’ (Lake Thun with the Stockhorn mountain in winter) was the star of the auction, being snapped up for an international collection. Hodler (1853-1918) is one of Switzerland’s most famous artists. A previous work, ‘Lac Léman vu de Saint-Prex’ (Lake Geneva from Saint-Prex), went for CHF10.9 million in 2007.
The ‘Swiss Art/Swiss Made’ auction also included works from artists who have been inspired by Switzerland, such as ‘Schneeberge mit Skiläufern’ (Snowy mountains with skiers), painted in 1928 by German artist Ernst Ludwig Kirchner. This painting fetched CHF1.2 million at auction on Tuesday evening.
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