Stadt Bern, No. 4 (1916)

"Stadt Bern, No. 4" (1916) by Adolf Wölfli captivates the viewer with its intricate arrangement of colors, shapes, and text. This fascinating artwork stands as a testament to Wölfli's unique visual language, characterized by highly detailed, symmetrical compositions filled with various motifs and icons.The painting is a stunning display of Wölfli's obsession with layers and patterns. Horizontally, it features banded stripes of vibrant colors that serve as a backdrop to more complex, occasionally concentric shapes. Each band, vividly colored and meticulously lined, contains smaller details that demand closer inspection.At the top, a row of faces and symbols in mainly earthy tones sets a foundation filled with what appears to be patterned text or script. Below this, the composition includes oval and circular shapes that integrate figures and faces into their designs, suggestive of perhaps personal or mythological significance. The central figure within one of these circles intriguingly resembles a portrait, perhaps indicative of a person or deity of importance within Wölfli's imaginative universe.The oval elements, richly ornamented with patterns and floral motifs, add a sense of organic movement against the geometric regularity of the lines and text. Intricate borders encase the central motifs, their decorative dots akin to beads or stitches that edge a tapestry.Adolf Wölfli, widely acknowledged as a pivotal figure in the Art Brut or Outsider Art movement, utilized drawing and painting as a form of personal mythology and narrative building, which is evident in this work. "Stadt Bern, No. 4" not only showcases his technical skill and his ability to create deeply immersive visual experiences but also reflects his internal world, constructed during his years at the Waldau Clinic in Bern, Switzerland.