Lukas R. Vogel
Lukas R. Vogel (October 28, 1959, in Zofingen, Switzerland) was a renowned Swiss artist known for his impressive mountain landscapes. His works gained international recognition and are part of significant private and public art collections worldwide.
Vogel spent his youth in Zofingen but moved to the Engadin region at a young age to complete his studies in optics. It was there that his passion for the mountains overwhelmed him, inspiring him first as a photographer and then as a mountain painter to capture the majestic beauty of the mountain world on paper and canvas. Particularly, the Piz Palü, a mountain he had climbed multiple times, became his favorite subject.
As an autodidact, Vogel continuously evolved and became one of the most respected artists for alpine landscapes both regionally and internationally. His paintings are primarily oil paintings that exhibit both traditional and modern minimalist elements. In some of his most special works, he used unique colors or adorned them with leaf gold applied by the artist himself.
Over the years, Vogel's technique evolved, but even his early paintings, which are now very rare, demonstrate a unique quality. His works can be categorized into four main areas and techniques: "Verum," realistic oil paintings; "Momentum," minimalist and almost abstract representations of mountain landscapes, depicting only some mountain slopes, with the interplay of light and shadow playing a fascinating role, experimenting with classical colors as well as unusual colors like black, purple, green, and orange; "Impression," where the mountain landscape on the canvas is represented by 24-carat gold leaf, white gold, or yellow gold, occasionally with aluminum foils, on a classic blue or more unusual color background.
His classic works feature intensely blue sky backgrounds with subtle and perfect shading, pierced by the penetrating sun, creating a spectacular interplay of light. Vogel's paintings are powerful, and even with only indirect light, they manage to overwhelm the viewer with the strength and energy of the mountain, colors, and light. In addition to his classic works, there are also many rare abstract studies with various colors and mixed techniques, as well as some trompe-l'œil works and portraits, including, for example, the Mona Lisa and Mozart.
During his artistic career, Vogel was accompanied by classical music and grand opera works. His studio was a place of inspiring music, serving not only as a painting studio but also as a mini-concert hall for his closest friends, where he regularly held concerts on his piano and presented his final works. As a great admirer of Leonardo da Vinci, Vogel aspired to excel in all arts, from music to painting and drawing to astronomy – an early passion he discovered in his youth with a telescope gift. Indeed, his works also include an enchanting series of paintings capturing nocturnal landscapes in graceful moonlight and depicting the stars in their precise arrangement. He was always in search of perfection, constantly striving for improvement, and remained open to new challenges and adventures.
Lukas R. Vogel passed away after a prolonged illness in the Engadin, his gaze fixed on his beloved mountain, the Piz Palü. Until shortly before his death, he painted tirelessly and with great dedication.