Uri
1809
Franz Niklaus König was a master of capturing Swiss folk life, and this 1809 illustration is a perfect example of his work celebrating the canton of Uri. The young man, likely a hunter returning from the fields, sports a stylish pink waistcoat and a feathered hat, yet remains charmingly barefoot as he hauls a giant wicker basket of game on his back. He casually dangles a couple of ducks in one hand, looking down with a gentle expression. This piece reflects the Romantic era's obsession with preserving traditional costumes and rural identities, freezing a moment of Alpine life in time.
- Technique
- watercolor
- Material
- paper