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FilterPaul Gmünder
Paul Gmünder was born in St Chrischona in 1891 and grew up in Ebnat-Kappel. In 1907, he began an apprenticeship as an embroidery designer and attended the design school of the Industrie- und Gewerbemuseum [Industry and craft museum] in St-Gallen between 1908 and 1911. He then worked as a designer, first in Berlin and then in St Gallen. In 1914, he began a shortened two-year course at the training college for primary school teachers in Muristalden, Bern. In 1917, he trained as a drawing teacher in Bern and Basel. From 1920 he worked as a teacher, during which time he produced his first portraits of his own family, local schoolchildren and scenes. After a serious illness in 1929, Gmünder decided to devote himself full time to art, and he set up his first studio in a carpenter’s workshop. He was a co-founder of the “Freie Gruppe” [Free group], a community of Bern artists, which existed from 1932 until 1935. In 1933, Gmünder and his family moved to Thun. He also painted during his three-year military service from 1939, producing 30 portraits of soldiers in 1942. From 1950 he gave drawing and painting courses at the Volkshochschule [community education centre] in Thun. In 1953, together with other artists from Thun, he set up the Künstlerhaus [artists’ residence] at 7 Freienhofgasse in Thun, where he had his studio in the attic. Gmünder died in Bern in 1984.
Paul Gmünder was born in St Chrischona in 1891 and grew up in Ebnat-Kappel. In 1907, he began an apprenticeship as an embroidery designer and attended the design school of the Industrie- und Gewerbemuseum [Industry and craft museum] in St-Gallen between 1908 and 1911. He then worked as a designer, first in Berlin and then in St Gallen. In 1914, he began a shortened two-year course at the training college for primary school teachers in Muristalden, Bern. In 1917, he trained as a drawing teacher in Bern and Basel. From 1920 he worked as a teacher, during which time he produced his first portraits of his own family, local schoolchildren and scenes. After a serious illness in 1929, Gmünder decided to devote himself full time to art, and he set up his first studio in a carpenter’s workshop. He was a co-founder of the “Freie Gruppe” [Free group], a community of Bern artists, which existed from 1932 until 1935. In 1933, Gmünder and his family moved to Thun. He also painted during his three-year military service from 1939, producing 30 portraits of soldiers in 1942. From 1950 he gave drawing and painting courses at the Volkshochschule [community education centre] in Thun. In 1953, together with other artists from Thun, he set up the Künstlerhaus [artists’ residence] at 7 Freienhofgasse in Thun, where he had his studio in the attic. Gmünder died in Bern in 1984.
