Hans Gasser, Bildhauer 1839

Friedrich von Amerling painted this portrait of Hans Gasser, a sculptor, using oil on canvas. Oil painting is a slow, layered process. The artist carefully applied thin glazes of pigment suspended in oil to build up form and color over time. Look closely at the young man's face. See the delicate blushing on his cheeks, achieved through this technique. As a sculptor, Gasser would have been intimately familiar with the slow work of bringing form out of resistant material. He would've understood the many hours of labor necessary to transform something raw, like stone or wood, into a finished work of art. Amerling’s portrait captures the intensity and dedication required of a sculptor. By focusing on the skillful labor involved in both painting and sculpture, we can appreciate the shared values of craft and artistry that both Amerling and Gasser embodied.