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Ugo CleisPainting Blue “The Battle of Salamine” Hugo Cleis, abstraction Swiss
$3,230.51
£2,421.49
€2,720
CA$4,467.31
A$4,863.77
CHF 2,597.10
MX$58,713.28
NOK 32,650.15
SEK 30,368.44
DKK 20,723.42
About the Item
One of a kind painting by the Swiss artist Hugo Cleis. Cleis began his artistic career with Swiss Expressionism, which featured social content, although in the mid-1940s his work focused on popular, legendary, and mythical themes, without abandoning naturalistic and expressive representation. This work, "The Battle of Salamis," fits precisely into this context. The work also belongs to the painter's most abstract period, during which he focused on conveying a symbolic message in his dynamic works.
The Battle of Salamis was a crucial naval engagement that took place in 480 BC during the Persian Wars, where the Greek fleet, led by Themistocles, defeated the Persian navy of Xerxes I. This victory was decisive in preserving the independence of the Greek city-states and marked a turning point in the history of ancient Greece. This could be related to the fact that the 1940s were a complex and delicate period for Switzerland due to the context of World War II (1939–1945). Although Switzerland maintained its traditional policy of armed neutrality, it was surrounded by the Axis powers (Germany, Italy, and occupied France), which placed it in a strategic but vulnerable position.
The technique itself, with its rapid, highly material brushstrokes, also contributes to this sense of agitation and tension. Although the forms are highly fragmented, the two vessels, engaged in a naval battle, are clearly distinguishable. The predominant colors are blue, gray, and black, with white and ochre accents (the use of such cool colors adds drama to the scene). Signed in the lower left corner.
About Hugo / Ugo Cleis (1903, Diepflingen - 1976, Mendrisio)
Hugo Cleis, also known as Ugo Cleis, was a prominent Swiss artist born on April 5, 1903, in Diepflingen, in the canton of Basel-Landschaft, and died on September 13, 1976, in Mendrisio, Ticino. His work spanned and excelled in various disciplines, including painting, printmaking, illustration, muralism, and mosaics.
After losing his father, the family settled in Sissach, where Cleis trained as a decorative painter. Between 1921 and 1923, he studied at the Kunstgewerbe Akademie in Dresden, specializing in decorative painting and stage design. He subsequently perfected his technique in Geneva and Italy. Throughout his career, he worked on various projects in Switzerland and abroad, notable for his murals, frescoes, and mosaics in public and private buildings. From 1928, he began painting in oils and watercolors.
In 1931, he moved to Mendrisiotto, and that same year, he joined the Ticino branch of the SPSAS and, later, joined the region's Fine Arts Society. His first solo exhibitions were held between 1930 and 1937 in Sissach.
His works touch on rural and natural themes in an intimate and symbolic manner, blending realism with expressionism and the fantastic. His style is characterized by a combination of figurative and decorative elements, influenced by Swiss and European artistic traditions.
Throughout his career, Cleis received numerous awards and recognitions, including the Kunstpreis of the City of Zurich in 1953 and the Pietro Chiesa Prize in 1962. He was also director of the Vincenzo Vela Museum in Ligornetto from 1958 to 1974. The Cleis family has maintained an artistic tradition in Switzerland, with several prominent members in the art world. For example, his nephew, Martin Cleis, is known for his work as a draftsman, photographer, and painter.
Technical Information
Technique: Oil on canvas
Title: "The Battle of Salamine"
Author: Hugo Cleis / Ugo Cleis
Signed in the lower left corner
Style: Abstraction
Period: Mid-20th century
Country of Origin: Switzerland
Good condition commensurate with age and use
Overall dimensions: 86 x 131 x 3 cm
- Creator:Ugo Cleis (1903 - 1976, Swiss)
- Dimensions:Height: 33.86 in (86 cm)Width: 51.58 in (131 cm)Depth: 1.19 in (3 cm)
- Medium:
- Movement Style:
- Period:
- Condition:
- Gallery Location:Valladolid, ES
- Reference Number:1stDibs: LU2885216593532
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