“The Girl from Ticino” is a small-format masterpiece painted with a striking empathy. On her back, the young woman is carrying an empty wicker basket, with which she carries the harvested hay from the alpine pastures to the farm in the valley. Undoubtedly, this is hard work, especially for a slender woman, but she does not show evidence of her travails, except for a slightly grim line around her mouth. She offers her observer a somewhat restrained smile but does not appear to be shy. Her eyes are directed downward, but her loose clothing suggests a modern and positive approach to life. She is wearing a pretty red headscarf and a blue work dress. Her lower arms and legs under the knees are bare, and on her feet are only light sandals. For Voegtli, “The Girl from Ticino” symbolizes the Swiss summer, which has its pleasant sides but for women is associated with burdens and hardships.
Sources:
Schütt, Peter (2022) “Ticino Girl ”, in: JULIUS VOEGTLI: A Swiss Impressionist Pioneer, Edited by Nour Nouri & Davood Khazaie, Pashmin Art Publishers, pp.134-135.
Julius Vögtli (1879-1944) was a Swiss painter who played a key role in the development of impressionism in Switzerland. His landscape paintings, which often depicted the Swiss countryside, were characterized by their vibrant colors and expressive brushstrokes. Vögtli’s work helped to establish impressionism as a major artistic movement in Switzerland during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
