Charlet in Hilterfingen 1871

Ferdinand Hodler painted "Charlet in Hilterfingen" in Switzerland using oil on canvas. A chalet sits prominently to the left, with a couple in traditional dress standing in the foreground, with a vista over a lake and toward distant mountains. This scene comes to us from a time when Switzerland was solidifying its national identity, and artists like Hodler played a key role in defining its image. He consciously promoted an idea of Switzerland as a timeless place, deeply rooted in its landscape and traditions. Tourist infrastructure was growing rapidly at this time; railways were built connecting remote spots like Hilterfingen to urban centers. The local people in this painting seem at one with the landscape, whilst the mountains are magnificent and unspoiled. Paintings like this had a public role in shaping perceptions both within and outside the country. To understand Hodler's contribution fully, we need to investigate the archives of Swiss tourism, the history of landscape painting, and the cultural politics of the late 19th century. Doing so reveals the artwork’s complex relationship to its time.