Hugo Reinhold Karl Johann Höppener (8 October 1868 – 23 February 1948), known under the

pseudonym A pseudonym (; ) or alias () is a fictitious name that a person assumes for a particular purpose, which differs from their original or true meaning ( orthonym). This also differs from a new name that entirely or legally replaces an individual's o ...

Fidus, was a German illustrator, painter, and publisher. Part of the symbolist movement, his later work took influence from the

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...

and

Vienna Secession The Vienna Secession (; also known as the Union of Austrian Artists or ) is an art movement, closely related to Art Nouveau, that was formed in 1897 by a group of Austrian painters, graphic artists, sculptors and architects, including Josef Ho ...

styles. By the

turn of the century The turn of the century is the transition from one century to another, or the time period before or after that change in centuries. Usage The phrase "turn of the century" is generally understood to mean the change (whether upcoming or past) clo ...

, his works were among the most popular in Germany and their rediscovery influenced the

Psychedelia Psychedelia usually refers to a Aesthetics, style or aesthetic that is resembled in the psychedelic subculture of the 1960s and the psychedelic experience produced by certain psychoactive substances. This includes psychedelic art, psychedelic ...

movement. Much of his art draws from his beliefs in

mysticism Mysticism is popularly known as becoming one with God or the Absolute (philosophy), Absolute, but may refer to any kind of Religious ecstasy, ecstasy or altered state of consciousness which is given a religious or Spirituality, spiritual meani ...

and Germanic neopaganism.

Biography

Born the son of a confectioner in

Lübeck Lübeck (; or ; Latin: ), officially the Hanseatic League, Hanseatic City of Lübeck (), is a city in Northern Germany. With around 220,000 inhabitants, it is the second-largest city on the German Baltic Sea, Baltic coast and the second-larg ...

, Höppener demonstrated artistic talent at an early age. Around 1886 he met the "apostle of nature" and artist

Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach (21February 185115December 1913) was a German painter and social reformer. Diefenbach is regarded as the "forefather of alternative movements" and one of the most important champions of the Lebensreform (life-reform), th ...

(1851–1913), and joined Diefenbach's commune near Munich. On Diefenbach's behalf, he served a brief prison sentence for public nudity, earning him the name Fidus ("faithful"). In 1892 he moved to Berlin, set up another commune, and worked as an illustrator on the magazine ''Sphinx''. His work appeared frequently in '' Jugend'' and other illustrated magazines. He created many ornamental drawings, especially for book decoration, as well as ex-libris, posters and designs. He was one of the first artists to use advertising postcards to promote his work. He also contributed to the early

homosexual Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between people of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" exc ...

magazine ''

Der Eigene ''Der Eigene'' (, ) was the first Homosexuality, gay journal in the world, published from 1896 to 1932 by Adolf Brand in Berlin. Brand contributed many poems and articles; other contributors included writers Benedict Friedlaender, Hanns Heinz Ewe ...

'', published by

Adolf Brand Gustav Adolf Franz Brand (1874–1945) was a German writer, egoist anarchist, and pioneering campaigner for the acceptance of male bisexuality and homosexuality. Early life Adolf Brand was born on 14 November 1874 in Berlin, which was then par ...

. He held mystical

Theosophical Theosophy is a religious movement established in the United States in the late 19th century. Founded primarily by the Russian Helena Blavatsky and based largely on her writings, it draws heavily from both older European philosophies such as Neo ...

beliefs, and became interested in German mythology. His early illustrations contained dream-like abstractions, while his later work was characterised by motifs such as peasants, warriors, and other naked human figures in natural settings. He often combined mysticism, eroticism, and symbolism, in

and Sezessionist styles. By 1900 he was one of the best known painters in Germany, and had come under the influence of writers such as

Arthur Moeller van den Bruck Arthur Wilhelm Ernst Victor Moeller van den Bruck (23 April 1876 – 30 May 1925) was a German cultural historian, philosopher, and key intellectual figure of the Conservative Revolution. As an author and political theorist, he remains best k ...

Heinrich and Julius Hart The brothers Heinrich and Julius Hart were German writers and literary critics who collaborated closely. They were among the pioneers of naturalism in German literature. Heinrich was born 30 December 1855, in Wesel and died 11 June 1906, in Te ...

, and the anti-materialist garden city and ''

Wandervogel ''Wandervogel'' (plural: ''Wandervögel''; English: "Wandering Bird") is the name adopted by a popular movement of German youth groups from 1896 to 1933, who protested against industrialization by going to hike in the country and commune with na ...

'' movements. His most famous painting is ''

Light Prayer ''Light Prayer'' () is a painting associated with the German Youth Movement and ''Lebensreform'' concept of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It portrays a young, naked man who stands on a rock and stretches his arms toward the sky. It was ...

'', which he made in eleven versions from 1890 to 1938. In 1908 he joined the , a religious group led by the painter

Ludwig Fahrenkrog Ludwig Fahrenkrog (20 October 1867 – 27 October 1952) was a German painter, illustrator, sculptor and writer. He was born in Rendsburg, Prussia, in 1867. He started his career as an artist in his youth, and attended the Berlin Royal Art A ...

, which combined

Germanic neopaganism Heathenry, also termed Heathenism, contemporary Germanic Paganism, or Germanic Neopaganism, is a modern pagan religion. Scholars of religious studies classify it as a new religious movement. Developed in Europe during the early 20th century ...

with teachings about self-redemption. In 1912 he designed a famous poster for a congress on "biological hygiene" in Hamburg, showing a man in the process of breaking his bonds and rising up to the stars. Friedhof Woltersdorf - Fidus-Grab 1

After 1918, interest in Fidus' work as an illustrator ebbed. Fidus perceived the

blood and soil Blood and soil (, ) is a nationalist slogan expressing Nazi Germany's ideal of a racially defined Body national, national body ("Blood") united with a settlement area ("Soil"). By it, rural and farm life forms are idealized as a counterweight t ...

(''Blut und Boden'') idea in Nazism to fit with his veneration of nature and the human spirit, so he joined the party in 1932. However, he did not receive the support of the Nazi regime and his works were banned altogether in 1937 for the perceived promotion of

esoterism Esotericism may refer to: *Eastern esotericism, a broad range of religious beliefs and practices originating from the Eastern world, characterized by esoteric, secretive, or occult elements *Western esotericism Western esotericism, also known ...

. Fidus renounced his Nazi Party membership and joined the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party. He died from a stroke in 1948.

Legacy

By the time Fidus died his art had been almost forgotten. It was rediscovered in the 1960s, and directly influenced the psychedelic concert posters which began to be produced at that time, initially in and around San Francisco. There is an archive of Fidus work at the

Berlinische Galerie The Berlinische Galerie is a museum of modern art, photography and architecture in Berlin. It is located in Kreuzberg, on Alte Jakobstraße, not far from the Jewish Museum. The Berlinische Galerie collects art created in Berlin since 1870 with a ...

. Another large archive of Fidus materials (including artworks, diaries, correspondence, and photographs) is held by the Jack Daulton Collection in Los Altos Hills, California.

Gallery of selected works

File:Fidus - Entwurf für einen Beethoven-Tempel, 1903.jpg, ''Entwurf für einen Beethoven-Tempel'' (Design for a

Beethoven Ludwig van Beethoven (baptised 17 December 177026 March 1827) was a German composer and pianist. He is one of the most revered figures in the history of Western music; his works rank among the most performed of the classical music repertoire ...

Temple), illustration, 1903 File:Fidus - Lichtgebet (1894).jpg, upright=1.4, ''Lichtgebet'' (

), oil on canvas, 1894,

Deutsches Historisches Museum The German Historical Museum (), known by the acronym DHM, is a museum in Berlin, Germany devoted to German history. It describes itself as a place of "enlightenment and understanding of the shared history of Germans and Europeans". It is often ...

File:Fidus Und wieder einmal schwand die Sonne.jpg, ''Und wieder einmal schwand die Sonne'' (And Once Again the Sun Disappeared), oil on canvas, 1893 File:FidusSchwertwache.jpg, ''Schwertwache'' (Swordguard), illustration, 1912 File:Fidus - Giordano Bruno, Aquarell 1900.jpg, ''

Giordano Bruno Giordano Bruno ( , ; ; born Filippo Bruno; January or February 1548 – 17 February 1600) was an Italian philosopher, poet, alchemist, astrologer, cosmological theorist, and esotericist. He is known for his cosmological theories, which concep ...

'', watercolor, colored chalks, gold bronze, and pencil on vellum, 1900, The Jack Daulton Collectionhttp://www.symbolismus.com/fidusgiordanobruno1900.html

References

External links

Fidus-Museum
scanned historic publications about and by Fidus.
Fidushaus
is a Jugendstil, Art Nouveau website featuring works by Fidus. {{Authority control 19th-century German painters 19th-century German male artists German male painters German illustrators German Symbolist painters German Youth Movement 1868 births 1948 deaths Art Nouveau painters Art Nouveau illustrators Artists from Lübeck Painters from Schleswig-Holstein 20th-century German painters 20th-century German male artists German modern pagans Modern pagan artists Adherents of Germanic neopaganism People associated with Lebensreform

Biography

Legacy

Gallery of selected works

See also

References

External links