ZUERICH-NEWS

From 24 April to 4 October 2009 the Kunsthaus Zürich is exhibiting paintings of the Swiss born co-founder of the Munich Secession, Albert von Keller (1844–1920).

Under the influence of music by Chopin and Wagner, during the Wilhelmian era Keller painted grandiose works of interiors and society life, portraits and nudes. Keller attended spiritualist séances as an observer and was fascinated by the hypnotic state. His preferred subject was the female domain at a time in which actresses, dancers and mediums were casting off social constraints.

Closely comparable to Auguste Rodin in his manner of expression, von Keller had a broad repertoire. In addition to a painting style inspired by the Impressionists, he also chose Symbolist motifs and developed a chromatic and formal vocabulary subsequently defined as Expressionist by exponents of the school, such as Munch, Kirchner and Beckmann.