Bowl with horizontal lug handles based on a Langnau model, designed by Adèle Schwander, made by Bendicht Loder-Walder, 1908. Private ownership in Switzerland, photo by Christoph Messerli (Messerli 2009, Fig. 80).
Pottery made by Adèle Luise Schwander in CERAMICA CH
Andreas Heege, 2023
Adèle Luise Schwander was born on 21st May 1880. She was probably the daughter of grocer Johann Gottfried Schwander and Adèle Schwander-Landsmann. She died on 4th January 1949. A citizen of Aarberg in the Canton of Bern, she was a designer and painter (cf. Messerli-Bolliger 1988, p. 47, notes 34 and 35). Schwander was one of the first students of the Bern School of Ceramics (as can be seen in the student list of the decorative arts department for the winter semester of 1910/11, but had already served an internship with Ferdinand Gottlieb Huttenlocher, one of the tutors there). During the 1910/11 semester, she met Frieda Lauterburg, Emil Loder and Elisabeth Strasser (Messerli 2009, list of students). Based on an article from 1906, we can assume that Adèle Schwander also knew Elisabeth Eberhardt whose early-period decorative style was quite similar to Schwander’s (Messerli 2009, 72 fn. 281).
Like Frieda Lauterburg (1877- 1943) from Langnau and Anna Müller (1892-1968) from Grosshöchstetten, Schwander took creative inspiration from the rich variety of décors and forms of the 18th and 19th century potting tradition in Langnau and Heimberg.
Schweizerische Technikerzeitung 1906.
It is therefore no surprise that her works were described as “new peasant majolica” in a 1906 insert in the Schweizerische Techniker-Zeitung [Swiss Technicians’ Newspaper].
1905 Schwander’s name first appeared in the press as one of the participants in the Christmas Exhibition at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Bern, although on that occasion she was exhibiting leather objects rather than pottery (Der Bund, Volume 56, No. 603, 21st December 1905 Issue 02).
Der Bund, Volume 59, No. 148, 27th March 1908 Issue 02; identical text in the Bieler Tagblatt, No. 75, 28th March 1908 and in the Geschäftsblatt für den obern Teil des Kantons Bern, Volume 55, No. 27, 1st April 1908.
Tagblatt der Stadt Thun, Vol. 32, No. 63, 14th March 1908
1908: When her “Heimberg ware” was exhibited at the Cantonal Museum of Decorative Arts in Bern in March 1908, she was described as an “Art student from the Bern School of Ceramics” (Tschabold 1969, 25). The review in the Thuner Tagblatt was very favourable indeed.
Pottery made by Adèle Schwander and Bendicht Loder-Walder in the collection of the Thun Castle Foundation.
Pottery designed by Adèle Schwander, made in Bendicht Loder-Walder’s workshop in Heimberg.
She worked for Loder-Walder, probably as a (self-employed?) pottery paintress and in that capacity she also made vases to designs by Nora Gross. The few pieces known to have been made by her are all signed.
Der Bund, Volume 61, No. 224, 15th May 1910.
1910 It is unlikely that Adèle Schwander was able to make a living from her works of decorative arts, as we can probably deduce from an advertisement that she took out in May 1910 offering lessons in oil, watercolour and pastel painting. At that time, she resided at 37 Junkerngasse lane in Bern.
1910 Adèle Schwander exhibited embroidery and sewing pieces at an exhibition entitled “Art Industries in the Canton of Bern” at the Museum of Decorative Arts in December 1910 (Intelligenzblatt für die Stadt Bern, 15th December 1910; see also Der Bund, Volume 62, No. 29, 18th January 1911 Issue 02).
Der Bund, Volume 75, No. 334, 8th August 1924.
1924 It was not until 1924 that Adèle Schwander was next mentioned in the press when she exhibited ceramic objects at the “Kantonalbernische Ausstellung für Gewerbe und Industrie (KABA)” (Exhibition of Trade and Industry in the Canton of Bern) in Burgdorf, although the press reports did not describe the pieces in detail, except for a commendatory mention. It is possible that she was painting porcelain at the time, as some reports appear to suggest:
Der Bund, Volume 75, No. 337, 10th August 1924.
The Bieler Tagblatt newspaper (Bieler Tagblatt, No. 199, 26th August 1924) wrote about a “classy children’s service”. In September, Der BUND wrote: “… What wonderful things can be seen behind the glass windows of the decorative cabinet: little cups, jugs, vases, porcelain figures in the prettiest shapes and all so artfully painted by Marie Nil, Selma Robin, R. Hänni, Adèle Schwander, Grety Sutter and others. The terracotta head of a child made by Margaritha Mermuth would appeal to every mother’s heart…” (Der Bund, Volume 75, No. 392, 14th September 1924).
1924 In November, Der BUND reported on an exhibition of decorative arts in Bern (Der Bund, Volume 75, No. 502, 23rd November 1924): “…the porcelain and faience objects by Adèle Schwander exhibit a richness and obliging simplicity of cultural heritage preservation…”.
1925 On 13th October, the NZZ newspaper wrote: “The rooms of the Kunsthalle [in Bern] are decorated with works by the artists of the Gesellschaft Schweiz. Malerinnen und Bildhauerinnen [Swiss Society of Female Painters, Sculptors and Craftswomen]. The jury has shown its expertise by setting an impressively strong course… Great strides have also been made in the ceramics department. I would like to remind readers of the beautifully made bowls and plates by G. Meister-Zingg, of Clara Vogelsang’s technically very accomplished jugs and bowls and of the pretty and practical cups and bowls entered by Adèle Schwander …”
For the period between 1925 and 1949, the sources remain silent.
1949 On 4th January, Adèle Louise Schwander died in Münsingen (Der Bund, Volume 100, No. 22, 14th January 1949). She never married. We have been unable to find an obituary.
Translation Sandy Haemmerle
References:
Messerli 2009
Christoph Messerli, Von der Souvenir- zur Studiokeramik. Die Berner Keramik im 19. und 20. Jahrhundert. Lizentiatsarbeit, Institut für Kunstgeschichte des Universität Bern, Bern 2009, bes. 71-73.
Messerli-Bolliger 1988
Barbara E. Messerli-Bolliger, Die Lenzburger Keramikerin Elisabeth Eberhardt 1875-1966, in: Lenzburger Neujahrsbläter 59, 1988, 20-81.
Tschabold 1969
Alfred Tschabold, 100 Jahre Gewerbemuseum in Bern. Zeittafel zu seiner Geschichte 1869 bis 1969, Bern 1969.
