19th century Swiss painter Robert Zünd studied with several noted Swiss landscape painters, including Alexandre Calame and his teacher, François Diday.
Carrying forward the emphasis on truth to nature of his teachers, Zünd became noted for his richly detailed landscapes, many of which were large in scale. He also was influenced by the study of masterworks by French and Dutch masters like Claude Lorrain and Jacob van Ruisdael that he encountered during a time in Paris, and incorporated their methods of classical composition into his own work.
Zünd is also known for his series of religious themed paintings — such as The Road to Emmaus (images above, fourth down) — that were created during a ten year period in the middle of his career.
Zünd captured the textural and atmospheric character of the woods and fields he portrayed, as well as the play of light through them, creating his studio works from location drawings and oil sketches (images above, fifth down).
One of his most noted paintings, Der Eichenwald (The Oak Forest, images above, top, with detail, large version here), gained him particular attention and the respect of other noted painters when it was exhibited at the National Exhibition in Zurich in 1883.
To me, his work conveys a sense of deep affection for nature and the landscape itself that goes beyond that of many other painters.
