22 July 2023 to 24 March 2024

Wilhelm Hasemann and the Invention of the Black Forest

Augustinermuseum

With the paintings, illustrations and postcards of Wilhelm Hasemann (1850–1913), the characteristic “Bollenhut” hat conquered the world and continues to shape the image of the Black Forest, even today. Born in Saxony, Hasemann’s enthusiasm for the region and its people was so great that he settled in Gutach and founded a painters’ colony. The artist used photos as templates and made countless sketches. From this rich pool of subjects, he created countless compositions afresh: elaborately decorated traditional costumes appear in many paintings; and imposing farms, interiors or particularly idyllic regions recur time and again. Glancing over Hasemann’s shoulder, we discover a great deal about projection and presentation, thereby unfolding astounding parallels to today’s social media with its filter functions, obsession with optimisation and the hunt for the perfect picture and plenty of likes.