Hugo Reinhold Karl Johann Höppener, known by the pseudonym Fidus (October 8, 1868 - February 23, 1948), was a master of symbolist expression whose influence transcended the boundaries of time to shape the graphic design of the psychedelic era of the late 1960s. Born in Lübeck, Germany, the son of a confectioner, Höppener's artistic talent ignited a spark early on that began his journey into the world of art. A significant influence on this path was the "apostle of nature" and artist Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach, to whose community he was drawn and under whose name he even served a short prison sentence for public nudity - an incident that earned him the name Fidus, meaning "faithful".
Upon his arrival in Berlin in 1892, Fidus began to turn his artistic vision into reality. He showed his skills as an illustrator in the magazine Sphinx and his impressive repertoire spanned ornamental drawings, book ornaments, bookplates, posters and designs. In the course of his work for Der Eigene, one of the first homosexual magazines, he also explored the terrain of activism. Each art print we offer from Fidus reflects this diverse artistic practice and celebrates his remarkable contributions to the world of art.
Fidus' mystical theosophical beliefs found their way into his artwork, which was often a blend of mysticism, eroticism, and Art Nouveau symbolism. His passion for German mythology and the anti-materialist Gartenstadt and Wandervogel movements influenced his work, as did his relationships with writers such as Arthur Moeller van den Bruck and the brothers Heinrich and Julius Hart. A highlight in his artistic oeuvre is the painting "Lichtgebet" ("Light Prayer"), which he created in eleven different versions and which is exemplary of his masterful skills. Despite his initial enthusiasm for the ideology of the NSDAP, which he supported in 1932, Fidus received little support from the Nazi regime. His work was confiscated and the sale of his paintings was banned. When he died in Woltersdorf in 1948, his art was almost forgotten, but it was to experience a renaissance. In the 1960s, Fidus' works were rediscovered and had a major impact on the psychedelic concert posters produced in San Francisco and the surrounding area. Today, you can bring this impressive artistic influence home by purchasing one of our art prints to preserve and celebrate a part of Fidus' unique legacy.
Hugo Reinhold Karl Johann Höppener, known by the pseudonym Fidus (October 8, 1868 - February 23, 1948), was a master of symbolist expression whose influence transcended the boundaries of time to shape the graphic design of the psychedelic era of the late 1960s. Born in Lübeck, Germany, the son of a confectioner, Höppener's artistic talent ignited a spark early on that began his journey into the world of art. A significant influence on this path was the "apostle of nature" and artist Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach, to whose community he was drawn and under whose name he even served a short prison sentence for public nudity - an incident that earned him the name Fidus, meaning "faithful".
Upon his arrival in Berlin in 1892, Fidus began to turn his artistic vision into reality. He showed his skills as an illustrator in the magazine Sphinx and his impressive repertoire spanned ornamental drawings, book ornaments, bookplates, posters and designs. In the course of his work for Der Eigene, one of the first homosexual magazines, he also explored the terrain of activism. Each art print we offer from Fidus reflects this diverse artistic practice and celebrates his remarkable contributions to the world of art.
Fidus' mystical theosophical beliefs found their way into his artwork, which was often a blend of mysticism, eroticism, and Art Nouveau symbolism. His passion for German mythology and the anti-materialist Gartenstadt and Wandervogel movements influenced his work, as did his relationships with writers such as Arthur Moeller van den Bruck and the brothers Heinrich and Julius Hart. A highlight in his artistic oeuvre is the painting "Lichtgebet" ("Light Prayer"), which he created in eleven different versions and which is exemplary of his masterful skills. Despite his initial enthusiasm for the ideology of the NSDAP, which he supported in 1932, Fidus received little support from the Nazi regime. His work was confiscated and the sale of his paintings was banned. When he died in Woltersdorf in 1948, his art was almost forgotten, but it was to experience a renaissance. In the 1960s, Fidus' works were rediscovered and had a major impact on the psychedelic concert posters produced in San Francisco and the surrounding area. Today, you can bring this impressive artistic influence home by purchasing one of our art prints to preserve and celebrate a part of Fidus' unique legacy.
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