3725 - SAUGY, LOUIS DAVID (Gérignoz 1871 – 1953 Rougemont): Country Life

SAUGY, LOUIS DAVID (Gérignoz 1871 – 1953 Rougemont): Country Life Paper cutout and collage Signed and dated 1946 at the bottom center on the backing 28.5 x 40 cm (internal dimensions), framed Louis David Saugy, along with Johann-Jakob Hauswirth, is one of the most important representatives of folk paper cutting, a form of artistic craftsmanship that was popular in Switzerland during the 19th and early 20th centuries. Saugy grew up in the Pays d’Enhaut in modest rural circumstances as the son of a farmer and a teacher. He initially earned his living as a carpenter and later as a mail carrier. In the farmhouses of the surrounding area, he encountered the paper cutouts of Johann-Jakob Hauswirth, which inspired him to make his first attempts at the art himself. At the age of 40, he was able to exhibit and sell his works for the first time. Due to a hearing impairment, the Vaud native took early retirement and devoted himself entirely to paper cutting from then on. His works quickly gained international recognition beyond the country’s borders, and his clientele came to include collectors from England and the United States, as well as prominent figures such as the Spanish royal family. Saugy drew his repertoire of motifs from everyday life. Rural scenes, the summer cattle drive to the alpine pastures, and hearts are among the recurring elements of his paper-cutting art. A trip to the Valais left a lasting impression on the artist, who was already over 70 years old, and led to an expansion of his range of motifs. In addition to monochromatic black paper cutouts, Saugy also created large-format, multicolored compositions with a high level of detail. Auction date: November 6, 2026, 6:15 p.m.