3704 - ANKER, ALBERT (1831–1910): Farmer Having a Mid-Morning Snack

ANKER, ALBERT (1831–1910): Farmer Having a Mid-Morning Snack Watercolor and pencil Signed lower left 24.5 x 34.5 cm (internal dimensions), framed Provenance: E. Hofmann Collection, Bern; Fritz Räz Collection, Thun; Margareta Räz-Stucki Collection; private collection, Switzerland. In the past, this work was also listed as “Grandfather at Supper,” “Grandfather at Afternoon Tea,” or “Dad at Supper.” Albert Anker is one of Switzerland’s most influential artists, whose works have contributed significantly to our understanding of Swiss society in the 19th century. His subjects often include farmers, workers, housewives, or children reading. In addition to a large number of paintings, drawings, prints, and faience pieces, the Bernese artist also produced many watercolors, mostly as commissioned works. In the work on offer, he revisited the subject of his painting “Farmer at Snack Time.” It depicts a farmer who, after the morning milking, is spooning his coffee with milk in an expressive manner, lost in thought. While Anker retained many visual elements of the painting—such as the man’s posture, the three-quarter view, and the facial features marked by age—he deliberately made some changes in the details. For instance, he moved the protagonist into a kitchen, rearranged the loaves of bread on the table, and turned the coffee pot—or rather, the Anker pot—so that its handle faced the farmer, just as he would likely have placed it in reality. The watercolor on offer measures 25x35 cm. This corresponds to the maximum size Albert Anker was able to work on in his later years, as he always had to rest his trembling arm while painting following a severe stroke. Auction start time: November 6, 2026, 6:00 p.m.