Ferdinand Hodler · 1 min read

Hodler: when exclusion opens the way to Paris

In 1891, The Night is excluded from an exhibition in Geneva. Hodler finds another way to show it. The rejection becomes a turning point.

Published on September 15, 2026

Featured on September 15, 2026

Geneva, 1891. Ferdinand Hodler’s The Night causes a scandal and is excluded from the fine arts exhibition. Its nude figures offend the authorities. The painting risks remaining out of public view.

Hodler then organises a private exhibition with paid admission. According to the account by historian Philippe Kaenel published by the University of Lausanne, admission costs one franc and visitors flock to see it. The proceeds allow the painter to present his canvas in Paris.

Admitted to the Salon of the Société nationale des beaux-arts, The Night notably attracts the attention of Puvis de Chavannes and Rodin there, as the Musée d’Orsay recalls. The episode marks a stage in his international recognition. A door closed in Geneva had led the painting towards another audience.

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Ferdinand Hodler — Le petit platane — Image creditsFerdinand Hodler · Le petit platane · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Jl FilpoC
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