Ferdinand Hodler is one of Switzerland’s most significant artists. He is recognized as the founder of Swiss modernity and as one of the most important artists for European modernity. His artistic journey began in Bern, honing his skills in painting. He later studied in Geneva, which became a significant place for his career. His work is characterized by a bold use of vibrant colors, a strong and expressive brushstroke, and rhythmic compositions, often exploring themes of nature, human emotion, and mortality. Despite terribly harsh reviews and numerous critics against his style, Ferdinand Hodler succeeded in gaining international recognition.

From 1914 to 1915, during the illness of his companion Valentine Godé-Darel, Ferdinand Hodler executed a poignant series of paintings capturing her physical decline. Most of these paintings are now preserved in museums in Switzerland. In addition, at the beginning of 1914, Ferdinand Hodler created three plaster sculptures representing the bust of his lover. These sculptures reflect not only Ferdinand Hodler’s deep emotional connection with his companion, but also the lesser-known side of Ferdinand Hodler as a sculptor. Despite having won a first prize in sculpture at the age of twenty, the Swiss artist’s sculptural production is extremely sparse and rare. At the beginning of the 20th century, it was believed that only one sculpture by the Ferdinand Hodler was known: an unsigned plaster Bust of Valentine Godé-Darel (Vevey, Musée Jenisch). Subsequently, an unsigned plaster medal project representing William Tell (Geneva, Musée d’art et d’histoire) was discovered, along with two other plaster busts of Valentine Godé-Darel. One, also unsigned, is in private hands, while the other, recently rediscovered, is the bust we present here. The present plaster is the third and last Bust of Valentine Godé-Darel known, and the only one signed. This bust is mentioned in the exhibition catalogue of the Musée Jenisch, where it was exhibited alongside the two other busts, even though it is not included in the list of artworks presented at the exhibition, as its rediscovery happened too shortly before the publishing of the catalogue. Ferdinand Hodler’s expert Niklaus Manuel Güdel suggests that the Swiss artist might have created the present bust after the first two, and signed it to facilitate the commercialization of ten bronzes, cast after the artist’s death at the request of the dealer Max Moos, from whom our plaster comes. The present plaster is the only signed Bust of Valentine sculpted by Ferdinand Hodler and constitutes a magnificent witness to Ferdinand Hodler’s art as a sculptor, as well as to the intimate relationship between the artist and his beloved Valentine Godé-Darel, who passed away on January 25, 1915.