"(T)he entire simple cycle of life that so much preoccupies men and which all religions interpret with veneration, takes place unambiguously, rapidly, and in silence" in the garden. - from In The Garden by Hermann Hesse, 1908.
Looking at this domestic watercolors by the writer Hermann Hesse offers a moment of uncomplicated pleasure.
His love of gardening was born in his first flower bed, a small plot his mother gave him in the back yard when Hermann was nine years old. His preference for brightly colored flowers came from the idea that they were sources of energy and vitality that kept the human mind alert.
The gardens of the adult Hesse were near the village of Montagnola in Ticino a Canton in the south of Switzerland surrounded on three sides by Italy and bounded on the north by the Canton of Valais (where the French artist Marguerite Burnat-Provins settled). The German Hesse found serenity there, following the ideas of Goethe and Lau-Tzu.
As a painter, Hesse has been compared to the painters of Byzantine icons, for his repetitions of a few treasured subjects, his house and garden, the hills and lakes that surrounded him. Although we think of Hesse usually as a writer, painting was very important to him. Consider this, from a letter he wrote to a friend, Ina Seidel, in 1925: "It is a fact that I would have been dead long ago if, in the darkest moments of my existence, I had not found consolation and salvation in my first attempts at painting."
This small gem is rescued in Flavia Arzeni's book An Education In Happiness: The Lessons of Hesse and Tagore, translated from the Italian by Howard Curtis, Pushkin Press, London, 2009.
Images:
1. Hermann Hesse - Hauser am Waltrand, 1929, Heiner Hesse Arcegno.
4 comments:
Such a wonderful writer. I have had the pleasure of reading Hesse both in English translation and a little (rather poorly) in the original German. Quite unique, his voice - though certainly the parallels with Tagore and his mysticism are strong. Glad people are re-discovering his work as a painter.
I am very pleased to know that H. Hesse was so fond of gardening and painting. And I´m very glad you have written about Flavia Arzeni´s book that sounds really fascinating to me. Thanks for this amazing post.
Thanks for telling this story about Herman Hesse love for gardening and painting. It´s really fascinating and can´t wait to find the book you mentioned in this wonderful post.
I am preparing a presentation to a group of Botanical artists on my views and approaches to botanical art as a photographer. This quote seems like a perfect way to set the mood for the talk. Thanks for sharing.
Post a Comment