Q131586697

A second 1916 canvas in this batch, this work joins the earlier 1916 entry in documenting Hodler's sustained productivity during the year following Valentine Godé-Darel's death. The two 1916 canvases together demonstrate that the period was not one of paralysis but of intensified work — the artist responding to loss through the only language fully available to him. Both landscape and figure subjects from 1916 carry an emotional directness that distinguishes them from even the most ambitious middle-period works. The Kunsthaus Zürich's multiple 1916 acquisitions reflect the institution's recognition that this terminal phase of Hodler's career constituted a distinct and important chapter requiring comprehensive documentation.

Like its 1916 companion, this canvas shows the broad, emotionally immediate handling of the late period. The paint application is confident and sometimes sparse, allowing the canvas texture to contribute to the final visual impression. Colour choices are bold and declarative — the work of a painter who has transcended the need to describe and is solely concerned with expressing an internal truth about his subject.