Artwork
Fasnachtshelge "2000 Johr Basel"
Fasnachtshelge "2000 Johr Basel" is an unspecified painting by Max Rickenbacher-Hufschmid. It dates from 1957 and is held in the collection of the Archaeology and Museum Baselland. Max Rickenbacher‑Hufschmid’s 1957 work titled Fasnachtshelge “2000 Johr Basel” is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography.
About this work
Overview
Max Rickenbacher‑Hufschmid’s 1957 work titled Fasnachtshelge “2000 Johr Basel” is part of the collection of the Museum of Ethnography. The image presents a bustling carnival scene rendered in vivid, contrasting hues, populated by a range of exaggerated figures that blend the festive with the grotesque.
Subject & Meaning
The composition depicts a carnival tableau populated by a woman in a pink dress clutching an infant and a green bottle, a clown in striped attire holding a blue baton, a bird‑like creature in green, and a skeletal figure topped with a top hat. The inclusion of German text, a newspaper fragment, and a candlelit vignette suggests a layered narrative that comments on Basel’s Fasnacht traditions through humor and satire.
Technique & Style
Rickenbacher‑Hufschmid employs a flat, graphic approach, using bold blocks of red, yellow, and blue to delineate forms. The figures are rendered with exaggerated proportions and simplified outlines, emphasizing caricature over realism. The juxtaposition of textual elements with painted imagery creates a collage‑like effect characteristic of mid‑century ethnographic illustration.
History & Provenance
Created in 1957, the piece entered the Museum of Ethnography’s holdings, where it serves as a visual record of Swiss carnival customs. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s interest in documenting folk celebrations and the ways they are interpreted by contemporary artists.
Context
Basel’s Fasnacht, a pre‑Lenten carnival renowned for its masks, music, and processions, provides the cultural backdrop for the work. By integrating satirical figures and textual references, the artist situates the image within the broader tradition of ethnographic art that explores communal rituals and their social meanings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Max Rickenbacher-Hufschmid spent years drawing the same carnival clowns in Basel’s back alleys.
