FRANÇOIS DIDAY (1802-1877)
Uri Rotstock (2,928 m - 9, 606ft)
Switzerland
In L'Uri Rotstock depuis Brunnen (matin), 1848, oil on canvas, The Diday Foundation
The mountain
The Uri Rotstock (2,928 m - 9, 606ft) is a mountain in the Uri Alps and the highest mountain within 10 km of Lake Lucerne. It lies in the area of the Urner community Isenthal. The mountain is not developed, but there are some hiking trails and climbing opportunities.
It lies between the Engelbergertal and the Vierwaldstättersee.
In the south, separated by the Blüemlisalpfirn, from West to East the following peaks : Engelberger Rotstock ( 2,818 m ), Wissigstock ( 2,887 m ), Blackenstock ( 2,930 m ), Brunnistock ( 2,952 m). Its western flank falls into the Grosstal, its eastern flank into the Chlital, here is also the Chlitalerfirn. On its northern spur, which ends as Chulm south of Isenthal, is still the Schlieren ( 2,830 m ).
The painter
François Diday is a Swiss painter. Originally from Graubünden, François Diday studied art at the Society of Arts. Landscapers such as Charles-Joseph Auriol, Joseph Hornung and Wolgang-Adam Toepffer also gave him lessons and trained him in their art.
In 1821, François Diday made a short stay in Paris where he he worked in 1823 at Antoine Gros's studio. In 1824 he received a small scholarship for a stay in Italy. His works are noticed by the French painter Alexandre-Auguste Robineau Around 1830, François Diday opens his own studio and trains young painters. He takes the head of the School of Alpine painting in Geneva, criticized by the french painters as representing only mountain landscapes. The paintings by François Diday are characterized by a harmonious light that illuminates the landscape.
François Diday received awards, notably in Paris (gold medal in 1841 and Legion of honor in 1842 for his painting Le Lac de Brienz or Les Baigneuses) and in Vienna in 1873 (bronze medal at the Universal Exhibition). He then exhibited in Berlin and Switzerland.
In politics, he joined the city council of Geneva in 1854. Upon his death, he bequeathed part of his property to the city of Geneva through the Diday Foundation and the Society of Arts.
He is buried in the Cimetière des Rois in Geneva.
