The Alpine Painting That Set Ferdinand Hodler's Auction Record
3 min read · 27 Jan 2026
Montanalandschaft Mit Becs De Bosson Und Vallon De Réchy. Image courtesy of Sotheby's
Ferdinand Hodler's Montanalandschaft Mit Becs De Bosson Und Vallon De Réchy (1915) sold for $8.43m (CHF8.01m) at Sotheby's in Zurich on June 4, 2013.
The oil on canvas work, which depicts a valley lake and the peaks of Becs de Bosson had not been traded before. It was acquired directly from the artist shortly before his death in 1918 and remained in the same family until consigned to auction.
In the late summer and autumn of 1915, the Swiss artist stayed several times in the Valais mountain while his son, who suffered from a lung disease, spent time in one of the many clinics in the area. In the 19th century the high plateau in Crans-Montana had become a health resort due to its sunny and dry Alpine climate, clean air and low humidity.
View of Lake Geneva from Saint-Prex. Image courtesy of Sotheby's
The sale beat the artist’s previous auction record by $568,200, a 7% rise.
His previous record was set by View of Lake Geneva from Saint-Prex (1901), which sold for $7.87m at Sotheby's on June 5, 2007.
Sale Date | Title | Price | Record Increase | Venue | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
2013-06-04 | Montanalandschaft Mit Becs De Bosson Und Vallon De Réchy | $8.43m | 7 % | Sotheby's | Zurich |
2007-06-05 | View of Lake Geneva from Saint-Prex | $7.87m | 87 % | Sotheby's | Zurich |
2006-12-05 | Lake Thun with the Stockhorn mountain chain beyond | $4.22m | 17 % | Sotheby's | Zurich |
2006-05-31 | Am Genfersee - Lake Geneva | $3.61m | 10 % | Sotheby's | Zurich |
2005-11-29 | The Eiger, Monch and Jungfrau above a sea of cloud | $3.28m | 20 % | Sotheby's | Zurich |
1998-12-02 | Lake Silvaplaner | $2.72m | 26 % | Sotheby's | Zurich |
1995-06-23 | Sacred hour - four figures | $2.16m | 155 % | Galerie Kornfeld | Bern |
1993-06-25 | Schwarze Lutschine with view of Wetterhorn | $846,500 | 27 % | Galerie Kornfeld | Bern |
1992-11-24 | Tree at Lake Brienz seen from Bodeli | $665,000 | 3 % | Sotheby's | Zurich |
1979-07-02 | Lake Thun from Leissiger | $645,600 | 365 % | Christie's | London |
1978-06-10 | The woodcutter | $139,000 | 98 % | Kornfield & Klipstein | Bern |
1975-04-18 | Portrait of Mme.Gunzburger | $70,300 | 5 % | Auctionhaus au Neumarkt | - Auctionhaus au Neumarkt |
1974-05-16 | Naked woman | $66,800 | 16 % | Auctionhaus au Neumarkt | - Auctionhaus au Neumarkt |
1972-11-18 | Lake Thun with the Stockhornkette | $57,400 | - | Kornfield & Klipstein | Bern |
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