Tell Shoes | Frauenfeld

«The parallelism, as I use it, is either universally valid—then my work has universal significance—or I have been mistaken, then my art is nothing but a delusion.» – Ferdinand Hodler

And what does this quote have to do with the poster by Otto Baumberger, which advertises Tell brand shoes manufactured in Frauenfeld in the Canton of Thurgau (aside from the fact that the soldiers are marching in single file, as is fitting)?

Well, Hodler's perspective (as well as his pride and self-confident demeanor) has had a lasting influence on a number of (younger) Swiss artists. His influence went even further, to the extent that it is thanks to him that modern art in Switzerland began to assert itself against historicism and allegories, which paved the way for Eduard Stiefel, Otto Baumberger, Emil Cardinaux, Eduard Renggli, and others who also worked as poster designers—which in turn helped the modern poster achieve a breakthrough in Switzerland.

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