3098 - Amiet Cuno

Amiet Cuno 1868 Solothurn – 1961 Oschwand Still Life with Double Bust. 1941 Oil on canvas Monogrammed and dated lower right: CA 41. Titled on the reverse of the stretcher Framed 33 × 41 cm Zofingen Auction House, November 29, 2003, Lot 2888; private collection, Switzerland As one of the best-known pioneers of modern Swiss painting, Cuno Amiet developed a distinctive visual language characterized in particular by vibrant colors. Set against a wall with a floral pattern, an artfully decorated lidded box is displayed on a bright red tablecloth on the left, while a light-colored double bust draws the eye on the right. The two heads of a couple embracing tenderly merge into a harmonious whole. The contrast between the bright red, the ornamental background, and the light-colored sculpture lends the composition a special tension. The painting follows in the tradition of Amiet’s numerous still lifes, in which he combines objects, fruits, and often bouquets of flowers into visually distinct compositional structures defined by color. In addition to his extensive body of paintings, Amiet also created sculptural works, which he rarely depicted in his paintings. Whether the double bust shown here is one of the artist’s own works remains unclear. However, the intimate sculpture and its placement make the painting appear to be a harmonious studio still life. Auction Date: November 28, 2026 Approximate Auction Time: 2:35 p.m. CET