The oil painting Summer Landscape dates from 1944 and is among the earliest and previously undocumented works of Swiss artist Rolf Dürig. Created when the artist was just 18 years old, it reveals a young painter with a remarkable sensitivity for composition, color, and atmosphere.
The work is executed in oil on canvas, mounted on its original wooden stretcher frame with visible wooden wedges. The painting measures 65 cm in width and 55 cm in height. It is housed in a simple, original wooden frame that shows signs of age, which contribute to the authenticity and historical character of the piece.
The composition depicts a rural summer landscape with floral foregrounds, gently curving fields, paths, and scattered buildings in the middle distance. The color palette is warm and balanced, dominated by earthy tones, ochre, green, and light blue. The brushwork is bold, the paint applied in a textured and expressive manner. The result is a lyrical impression of a tranquil summer’s day, defined by depth, light, and compositional harmony.
The painting is signed on the front lower right corner with “Rolf Dürig 1944.” On the reverse, a handwritten inscription reads “C.13 Rolf Dürig Sommerlandschaft 1944,” well preserved and clearly legible. In addition, a spontaneous sketch in charcoal or graphite appears on the back of the canvas, most likely depicting a reclining human figure—possibly an academic nude or anatomical study. This underlying drawing offers a rare glimpse into the creative process and reinforces the character of the piece as a study from the artist’s formative years.
At the bottom edge of the reverse side, a metal plaque from Galerie Dobiaschofsky Bern is attached. This suggests the work was at some point catalogued, reviewed, or handled by this renowned Swiss art institution.
The painting was discovered in 2023 during a house clearance in Switzerland. It was found among several other artworks placed on the street for free removal. Only upon closer inspection did the signature and date reveal the significance of this quiet treasure.
