591 - Switzerland

Switzerland Canton of Schwyz—Lake Lauerz. “The Island of Schwanau Opposite Mount Rigi on Lake Lauerz.” Gouache-enhanced outline etching. Titled in ink in the center below the view. Attributed to Johann Heinrich Bleuler (H. H. Bleuler), dated 1806. Image size 34 × 48.5 cm, sheet size 41.5 × 56 cm. The margin is inked in olive. View from the lakeshore toward the islands of Schwanau and Klein-Schwanau, with the Rigi in the background. The rock avalanche is depicted on the left and in the center. The sheet thus depicts the situation following the Goldau rockslide. On the reverse side is a pencil note in Sütterlin script with the title and a reference to the rockslide of September 2, 1806. The sheet features the beautiful coloration typical of Bleuler. Historical background: On September 2, 1806, approximately 40 million cubic meters of Nagelfluh rock broke loose at the Gnipen (Rossberg). It buried Goldau, Röthen, and parts of Buosingen. A debris flow reached Lake Lauerz and triggered a flood wave that also inundated Schwanau Island. The flood wave destroyed the hermitage on Kleine Schwanau and part of the hermit’s house on the larger island. The lake’s surface area was reduced by about one-seventh. The Bleuler workshop in Feuerthalen near Schaffhausen distributed views as outline etchings. They were colored by hand with opaque gouache paints. Johann Heinrich Bleuler the Elder (1758–1823) produced outline etchings of castles and landscapes. A comparable print is “Die Roten Berge” (32 × 47 cm, gouache-colored outline etching) at the Museum Haus Martfeld in Schwelm. Gouache-colored outline etching. Titled in ink at the center below the view. Attributed to Johann Heinrich Bleuler (H. H. Bleuler), dated 1806. Image 34 × 48.5 cm, sheet 41.5 × 56 cm. The margin is washed in olive. View from the lakeshore toward the islands of Schwanau and Klein-Schwanau, with the Rigi in the background. The rockslide debris is shown on the left and in the center. The sheet thus depicts the situation following the Goldau landslide. On the reverse is a pencil inscription in Sütterlin script with the title and a reference to the landslide of September 2, 1806. The sheet features the fine coloring typical of Bleuler. Historical background: On September 2, 1806, approximately 40 million m³ of conglomerate broke away from the Gnipen (Rossberg). It buried Goldau, Röthen, and parts of Buosingen. A lobe of the landslide reached Lake Lauerz and triggered a flood wave, which also swept over the island of Schwanau. The wave destroyed the hermitage on Klein-Schwanau and part of the hermit’s house on the larger island. The lake’s surface area shrank by about one-seventh. The Bleuler workshop in Feuerthalen near Schaffhausen sold views as outline etchings. These were hand-colored with opaque gouache. Johann Heinrich Bleuler the Elder (1758–1823) produced outline etchings of castles and landscapes. A comparable print is “Die Roten Berge” (32 × 47 cm, gouache-colored outline etching) in the Museum Haus Martfeld in Schwelm. This lot is subject to standard taxation. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (Books and Art) or 19% VAT (Manuscripts, Screenprints, Offset Prints, Photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union. This work is subject to the standard tax regime. A 24.95% buyer’s premium applies to the hammer price, and 7% (books and art) or 19% VAT (manuscripts, screen prints, offset prints, and photographs) applies to the final invoice amount within the European Union.