Born Johann Melchior Ernst Stickelberger in Basel on February 21, 1831, Ernst Stückelberg came from an established family whose roots in Basel extended back to the 14th century. Following his father’s death in 1833, he was raised by his uncle, the architect Melchior Berri, who nurtured his early artistic talent.
Trained under Hieronymus Hess and Ludwig Kelterborn at school, he later apprenticed with portraitist Johann Friedrich Dietler in Bern.
Continuing his education at the Royal Academy in Antwerp (1850–52), Stückelberg studied with Gustaf Wappers, Louis Gallait, and J. L. Dyckmans, earning early accolades—including first prize in the 1851 academy concours.
A spirited expatriate, he expanded his horizons in Paris (studying Rembrandt, Velázquez, van Dyck at the Louvre) and later at Munich’s Academy under Moritz von Schwind.
Despite classic and historical influences, Stückelberg remained deeply rooted in Swiss themes—most notably the hero William Tell. In 1880–82, he was commissioned to paint four monumental frescos in the Tellskapelle on Lake Lucerne, marking him as a national figure.
Acclaimed for capturing “the life of the land, village, town,” his artworks combined poetic realism with gentle humor—setting him apart from contemporaries like Böcklin.
In 1866 Stückelberg married student Marie-Elisabeth Brüstlein. Their honeymoon through Italy (Milan, Florence, Rome, Capri) influenced his light-filled Mediterranean paintings, including Midday on Capri and The Marionettes (1866–69), earning a Munich Gold Medal in 1869.
He opened studios in Zurich (1860) and later Basel, forging alliances with Rudolf Koller and Gottfried Keller.
After personal tragedy—the death of his sister in 1890—his output shifted toward contemplative themes, though by the late 1890s he enjoyed renewed energy and produced several celebrated allegorical and mythological pieces (e.g. The Prodigal Son, Sappho, The Sirens).
Stückelberg formally adopted his artist’s surname in 1881 and received widespread recognition: decorating the Tellskapelle, collecting a silver medal in Bern (1856), Munich’s gold (1869), and another gold in Basel (1900).
He passed away in Basel on September 14, 1903, succumbing to complications related to diabetes.
Ernst Stückelberg stands as a pillar of Swiss Romantic art—his works an intersection of national identity, lyrical realism, and emotional depth. Whether chronicling village life, mythic heroism, or allegorical introspection, he remains a master at capturing the soul of his time and place.
In 1937, the Erimanshof on Petersgraben — once the residence and studio of Basel painter Ernst Stückelberg (1831–1903) — was demolished. During the demolition, several fragments of his wall paintings were carefully removed and preserved. After many years in storage, these pieces have finally found a new home: the former kitchen of the Klingental Monastery.
