Hedwig SCHERRER

1878
born in Sulgen (Canton Thurgau), Switzerland

1894
Drawing school at the St. Gallen Trade Museum (today’s Textile Museum); lessons in plant drawing with Johannes Stauffacher and in figurative drawing with Hans Emil Hansen (Emil Nolde)

ab 1897
studies at the Ladies’ Academy of the Munich Artists’ Association, Munich (subjects: landscape painting, portrait painting, illustration, various painting and printing techniques)

1900
Nude drawing courses and completion of artistic training, Paris

from 1901
returns to St. Gallen and begins working professionally; creates the following as a freelance artist, among other things:

– illustrations for magazines and books
– portraits
– wall paintings for hospitals and homes
– puppet theater backdrops
– puppet figures
– prints / commercial graphics
– caricatures
– Landscape paintings

1906-1908
Construction of her studio house (also known as “Villa Scherrer” and “Hedwig Scherrer Haus”) on the Montlinger Bergli (Oberriet, St. Gallen) in Montlingen based on designs by Hedwig Scherrer; she also designed the furniture; Scherrer moved into this Art Nouveau artist’s house in 1908, although it was only used as a summer residence. In winter, she stayed in the city of St. Gallen.

1920s
Design of traditional costumes and production of miniature paintings

from 1933
Design of posters against the arms industry and war

1940
Died in Zurich of a cold in a Zurich hospital (Canton of Zurich), Switzerland