Franz Anton Haim (1830–1890)


Franz Anton Haim, a farmer from Haslen (Leimensteig), worked as a painter of peasant art mainly during the last fifteen years of his life. He left behind a considerable wealth of pictures and milk pail bottoms portraying the daily scenes of a farmer's life. Typical are the large images and the occasional appearance of stiff figures. Franz Haim can be considered as one of the most original and gifted representatives of Appenzell peasant art during his time.

Conrad Starck (1765–ca. 1830)


Conrad Starck, born in Gonten, is the first clearly ascertainablepainter of Appenzell peasant art. He can be considered the founder of the typical Appenzell peasant art. Today, more thana dozen hand-painted pieces of furniture which originated between 1785 and 1830 have been accredited to him. He moved away from a courtly style to painting real life images of the daily life of a handicraftsman, scenes of married couples, farmers and alpine dairy herdsmen.

Johannes Hugentobler (1897–1955)


No artist has characterized the picture of the market town of Appenzell as well as Johannes Hugentobler, a native of Staad on Lake Constance. In his first masterpiece, he painted the monumental figure of St. Mauritius on the southwall of the tower of the parish church of Appenzell. The paintings on the façades in the main street are mainly his. He headed the planning and artistic decor of various chapels and churches in Inner Rhodes, e.g. in Ahorn and Plattenbödeli, Steinegg and Jakobsbad. His work was very varied and in addition to pictures, glass and ceramic paintings, he also painted portraits and still life.

Carl Liner sen. (1871–1946)


After his studies at the Academy of Art in Munich and various journeys dedicated to painting, Carl Liner spent the first years of his artistic career at his place of birth, St. Gallen. During 1907, he finally settled in Appenzell. He was open to all new ideas regarding the contemporary German and French type of art, developed however his own and personal style. He painted scenes of handembroiderers, women in local costumes, farmers, handicraftsmen and children. His work comprises mainly of drawings, aquarelle paintings, oil paintings, wood carvings and lithographs. Carliner, sen. belongs to the most important Swiss painters of the first half of the 20th century.

Johann Baptist Zeller (1877–1959)


Some of Johann Zeller's pictures show unusual combinations of colour and did not claim much interest at the turn of the century. Since the painter with his large family was dependent on a regular salary, he often changed his whereabouts and worked either as a farmer, dairy herdsman, day labourer or embroiderer. In the 1920's as well as later on, he painted the «Clausebickli» during the Advent period. In 1938, he moved to Appenzell where painting became his main occupation.

Bartholomäus Lämmler (ca. 1850)


Bartholomäus Lämmler broke away from the narrow frame of the «Senntumstreifen» by not only painting the alpine cattle drive but also including farm buildings and countryside in his pictures.