This show in Basel reveals how the Swiss Expressionist’s late forays into working with wood gave him greater freedom in his final years
The three years before Hermann Scherer’s death in 1927 were a hugely productive time for the artist; turning to wood for the first time, the Swiss artist produced more than 100 woodcuts and some 25 carved sculptures, in pursuit of a newly Expressionist style that took its cues from Ernst Ludwig Kirchner, as opposed to Scherer’s earlier influences such as Aristide Maillol and Auguste Rodin. This show at the Kunstmuseum Basel (15 January–18 April) presents 54 of his blocks alongside prints taken from them, demonstrating how the acts of gouging, notching, chipping and carving into wood enabled the Scherer to find a greater freedom and energy of expression in his final years. Find out more from the Kunstmuseum Basel’s website.