Eric Hermès (1881-1971)
Barque au bord du Rhône à la Jonction
Oil on canvas
Signed lower right : E. Hermès
50 x 43 cm


Of German origin, Hermès moved to Switzerland at a very early age and was fascinated by the landscapes of his adopted country. Settling in Geneva, he concentrated on painting the city and its surroundings, working both in the countryside and in the studio. Initially, he was close to Ferdinand Hodler, who had a profound effect on his early works.

The banks of the Rhone at La Jonction offer a wonderful viewpoint of the cliffs of the district of Saint-Jean, which the artist used in numerous variations. In addition to easel paintings, he also created architectural decorations, ceramics and sculptures, testimony to his apprenticeship as a decorator in the early years of his arrival in Switzerland. He also made a name for himself as a graphic artist, frequently working for the Vevey-based company Säuberlin & Pfeiffer. In addition to Switzerland, where he lived (Geneva, Valais and the canton of Uri), Hermès frequently travelled to Paris and Spain, places which that had a major impact on his work.