Life Journey in Bookform

"I first came across the works of Julius Voegtli five years ago, and for me, it was something like love at first sight. In an art magazine, I was captivated by a richly illustrated article about an artist whose name I had never heard of before. A Swiss impressionist pioneer: this pronouncement piqued my interest, and the depictions vividly reminded me of French masters - Cezanne, Monet, Degas, Renoir, or Pissarro. I had been familiar with these masters since my earliest youth. The author of an article in an art magazine had asked the readers for assistance in finding unknown works of Julius Voegtli and information about the artist and his life.... The author was none other than the artist's grandson, the entrepreneur Hans Vögtli. At the end of the article, he had provided his address for contact purposes. I decided to call him, and we started to talk, and, as one thing led to another, we quickly established a congenial bond. I traveled to Switzerland for a visit and viewed the existing paintings and frescos more closely for the first time and became more excited by the moment. A burning ambition overcame me. I wanted to help in the rediscovery of an unjustly forgotten artist of international standing and have his oeuvre recorded in the chronology of art history. For three years, with the steadfast, active support of Mr. Hans Vögtli, I did extensive research. In the course of this investigation, I became firmly convinced that Julius Voegtli's work was not limited to the Schwyzerdütsche (Swiss German) province but closely intertwined with European painting at the turn of the 20th century. He had studied at the renowned Academy of Fine Arts in Munich and became acquainted with the trailblazers of the modern art movement such as Kandinsky and Giacometti. Julius Voegtli not only initially captivated me as an artist – and still does – but also as a human being. In contrast to some of his contemporary geniuses, such as Van Gogh or Gauguin, he was not a man for scandals or controversy. Instead, he conformed more to the Swiss conception of the Calvinist ideal as exemplified by Max Frisch, one of the most celebrated Swiss authors of the 20th century. Best represented by his novel, Homo Faber – depicting a creative individual who, as a craftsman, tinkerer, or artist, can effectively fend for himself based on his steadfast approach to life. Julius Voegtli was an outstanding artist, one of the best minds in his country, but he lived at the wrong time. With the new book 'Julius Voegtli - A Pioneer of Swiss Impressionism' about the life and work of this unique artist and this website, we would like to transport Julius Voegtli to the present and preserve them for future generations, as his works are simply timeless."

Book Excerpt Foreword Nour Nouri, Publisher