Swiss engravers

A Brief History of Swiss Printmaking.
The Swiss school of printmaking in the 19th century is rightfully considered one of the finest in Europe . Its golden age is inseparably linked to the creation of the "Swiss myth"-the image of the country as an ideal natural paradise, celebrated by writers and poets. Printmaking became the perfect medium to spread this image, serving as a kind of visual guide for the first tourists.

Origins: From Calvin to Goldsmiths.

Paradoxically, the Reformation aided the development of Swiss printmaking. Calvin, while condemning most art forms, spared watchmakers, as timepieces helped maintain a strict daily routine. Crafting watchcases required high-quality goldsmithing skills, and where there are goldsmiths, there are engravers. This preserved and enhanced Genevan craftsmanship, laying the foundation for future generations.

Early Period and Landscape Pioneers.

Urs Graf (c. 1485–1529) - a key figure of early Swiss art. A glass painter, engraver, and goldsmith from Solothurn, he led a turbulent life as a mercenary, which is reflected in his dynamic, ironic, and vivid woodcuts.

Johann Ludwig Aberli (1723–1786) - is rightfully considered the founder of the Swiss school of landscape engraving . Influenced by the ideas of Rousseau and the artist Salomon Gessner, he traveled to the Bernese Alps, bringing back sketches that became the basis for his famous prints.

The Golden Age: The Rise of Landscape Printmaking.

This period's true flourishing is linked to artists who crafted the idealized image of Switzerland.

Johann Ludwig Aberli developed his own method, the so-called "Aberli manner" : washes of diluted ink were applied to an etched outline for shadows, followed by transparent watercolors. His hand-colored engravings of mountains and lakes were immensely popular, initiating the souvenir print industry.

Gabriel Ludwig Lory (1763–1840) - Aberli's pupil, who continued his legacy. He published numerous series of Swiss views. His album "Picturesque Journey from Geneva to Milan via the Simplon Pass" (1811) brought him fame across Europe. Notably, Lory also created engravings of Moscow and St. Petersburg for Emperor Paul I, based on originals by the French painter Gérard Delabart.

Major Masters and the Industry.

Rudolf Dikenmann (1785–1867) - a Zurich artist and publisher who, in 1820, industrialized print production. He and his sons flooded the market with high-quality, relatively inexpensive views of Switzerland. Souvenir albums like "Souvenirs de la Suisse" served as the main guidebooks for 19th-century tourists.

Samuel Amsler (1791–1849) - a native of Schinznach whose work belongs to a pan-European context. A student of the Munich school, he became a professor at the Munich Academy and a virtuoso reproductive engraver, reproducing works by Raphael, Thorvaldsen, and Overbeck.

Henri Courvoisier-Voisin (1757–1830) - our acquaintance from Le Locle and La Chaux-de-Fonds. Educated in Paris, he became one of Switzerland's finest engravers, a master of aquatint. His peaceful landscapes and historical scenes are notable for their serene beauty, and his collaboration with Parisian publishers led to the creation of famous views of Moscow and St. Petersburg.

Thus, Swiss printmaking evolved from a craft to a high art form, becoming the principal tool in creating and disseminating the image of a beautiful Alpine nation worldwide.