19 June 2007

Hug



Hug: the artist not the verb.

Interesting story behind this picture. It is actually a relic of my childhood. Aparently back when my mom and dad were recent acquaintances (1973?) they discussed (among other things) Fritz Hug. My mom had returned from Europe, disappointed I suppose, that she had come across art that she really liked and not purchased any of it--not even one print. My dad was just about to go back to Europe (where he and my grandfather would succeed in finding our ancestral home in Switzerland) and he asked if there was anything mom wanted from Europe. There was. She wanted something from Fritz Hug.

Dad brought back a calendar, and they later had the pictures mounted and hung them on the walls of one apartment after another. This picture is one from that set. It and nine others survived two solid decades in our basement, where they were retired after my parents left the vagabond phase of their lives behind.

I think my kids will like them. I do, anyway. In the late 1960s, Hug began painting endangered species for the World Wildlife Fund. These are almost definitely part of that project.

3 comments:

Matthew said...

Is that a real fish species? The spots seem unlikely...

Anonymous said...

I like the hug the verb as well as the artist. The spots due seem unlikely but I have seen more unlikely critters that are real so I go with real.

slgibbs1 said...

I love this artist! I have three copies of his prints and I've had them since the sixties. Every time I move, they go with me. I have the polar bear, gorilla and leopard. Wish I could buy more. Can't seem to locate any on the net. The ones they did sell were 750 euros. They must be originals. mine are copies.