Figure 1.-- Albert Anker is paricularly noted for his images of children. As a result of his wonderful genre paintings of Swiss village life, he is sometines referred to as the national painter of Switzerland. Here is one of his genre works, "The creche", an early nursery school. Day care creches originating in Europe during the late-18th and early-19th century. Anker painted this work in 1890. Presumably the children came from working-class families where the mothers had to work. We are not sure just what kind of jobs the mothers found. Or perhaps thos was a village scene with the young lady here just helping out harried mothers.

Albert Anker is perhaps the most beloved of all Swiss artists. Anker was contemporary with the French Impressionists. He was, however, a traditional painter who painted realistic genre works. At an early point, he painted som biblical and other relious scenrs. His focus throughout his career, however, was genre scenes of Swiss village life. He gained much respect for his pictures of rural Swiss life. He provides a masterful view of Swiss life in the second half of the 19th century. He both painted and drew illustrations. He is paricularly noted for his images of children. As a result of his wonderful genre paintings of Swiss village life, he is sometines referred to as the national painter of Switzerland. Here is one of his genre works, "The creche" (figure 1). We also see some historical works like classical scenes of Greece and Rome.

Biblical and Religious Scenes

At an early point, he painted som biblical and other relious scenrs.

Genre Scenes of Swiss Village Life

Anker's focus throughout his career was genre scenes of Swiss village life. There are many such scenes beautifully done. He gained much respect for his pictures of rural Swiss life. He provides a masterful view of Swiss life in the second half of the 19th century. He both painted and drew illustrations. He is paricularly noted for his images of children. As a result of his wonderful genre paintings of Swiss village life, he is sometines referred to as the national painter of Switzerland. Here is one of his genre works, "The creche" (figure 1).

Historical Scenes

We also notice some historical works. We do not have a large archive of his historical works. We believe that he did not go for powerful people or great turning points in history. Rather we see scenes of ordinary life sent in historical periods, often with children. At the time there was no easy way gto reseaech how children dressed in histirical periods. Thus we note errors in the depictions. The painyings are always beautifully executed and chrming, but there are errors in the depictions. Of course when he was working on Swiss village life the details are all depicted in great detail and accuracy. We note an Anker painting of ancient Greece done in 1866. It shows a group of children at play. The clothing is not accurate. In the reality probably the boys this age mostly likely would have normally worn cloths wrapped around their waists, but for active play like this they would have most likely taken off also these garments. Given the fact that the Greeks did not have fitted garments, the cloths they normally wore woukd hve probably fallen off.

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Created: 9:15 PM 5/26/2010
Last updated: 8:39 PM 10/24/2011