Carl Eugen Keel

Carl Eugen Keel (* 1885 in Altstaetten, † 1961 in Rebstein, Switzerland ) was an expressionist painter and wood engraver. Known are its linoleum and woodcuts - often Ortsansichten, hand colored in part. Less well known are his watercolors, oil paintings and figurines of wood, stone and hammered metal.

Life

Carl Keel was born the son of the locksmith Carl Joseph Keel (1849-1909) and Maria Elisabeth Rohner (1857-1926) and originally made an apprenticeship as a coppersmith. Later he worked as a textile designer for St. Gallen embroideries. The collapse of the embroidery industry after the First World War forced Carl E. Keel, who had with Emma Bertha archipelago eleven children, to reorient themselves. He moved to the Ticino and cut Ortsansichten, everyday scenes and still lifes in linoleum. Keel lived in the twenties in Cantine di Gandria and frequented the circle of artists of Ascona. His wife and some of his children sold the prints in her shop in Gandria.

Today Carl Keel is regarded as an independent Swiss Expressionist. He is the father of contemporary artist Adam Dario Keel.

Notes on the work of signature

Usually Keel signed his works as " C. Keel " and marked " Hand Print " or " original woodcut" (also abbreviated ). In the woodcut often find the initials "CK".