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Obituary: René Groebli
Obituary: René Groebli
May 5, 2026
René Groebli, 2017
© René Groebli, Courtesy of Bildhalle
René Groebli intended to reach the age of 100. Invitations to a celebration had already gone out to his friends, with the date set for October 9, 2027. The writing on the card included the notice: “The artist may be present.” This was revealed by cultural journalist Daniele Muscionico, whose tribute was among the obituaries the Bildhalle Gallery in Zurich sent out earlier today. It was in this venue that Groebli opened his exhibition, Movement, in February of this year. Already frail, he shared fascinating insights into his multifaceted oeuvre. The exhibition title was perfectly chosen: after all, the photographer was always in motion. He created iconic images and series across a wide spectrum of genres, continuously exploring new aspects of photography – often far ahead of his time. “Time and again, he ventured into new territory without ever settling there. Throughout his life, René Groebli remained a tinkerer and a finder, an enquirer and a seeker whose preferred haunts were the studio, the laboratory, the darkroom,” writes Hans-Michael Koetzle in his obituary. Or, in Groebli’s own words: “As a romantic at heart, I am not primarily drawn to objective documentation. I strive to convey atmospheres and inner emotions in my images – enhancing them, where necessary, through craftsmanship in the darkroom.”
Born on October 9, 1927 in Zurich, Switzerland, Groebli studied at the Zurich School of Applied Arts and trained as a documentary cinematographer, before fully dedicating himself to photography. As a photojournalist, he travelled the world (often with a Leica), publishing his images in international magazines. His first independent photo essay was released as a book in 1949: Magie der Schiene – Rail Magic. In 1954, this was followed by the now-iconic monograph, Das Auge der Liebe (The Eye of Love) – a tender, deeply personal love letter to his wife, Rita. “Had I been a writer, I would probably have sat down in the nearest café to write love poems for Rita… but as it was, my emotional impressions almost unwittingly became a love poem in photographs,” he later recalled.
From the mid-1950s onwards, Groebli pursued a career in advertising. He was also an innovator in the relatively new field of colour photography, frequently using his darkroom experiments for artistic applications. Throughout his career, Groebli oscillated between commercial and independent photography – between advertising and art, commissioned and independent projects. In 1981 the “Master of Color”, as an American photography magazine once called him, retired from professional life, though he did not turn his back on photography. Right up to the end, he presented his work in international exhibitions, created images across the genres of nude, landscape and portrait photography, and continued to publish photo books. René Groebli was an important artist, a staunch visionary, a mediator between art and craft. His legacy will endure – and his life will be honoured at the already planned 100th-birthday celebration: through images, unique and unforgettable.
Ulrich RüterBorn on October 9, 1927 in Zurich, Switzerland, Groebli studied at the Zurich School of Applied Arts and trained as a documentary cinematographer, before fully dedicating himself to photography. As a photojournalist, he travelled the world (often with a Leica), publishing his images in international magazines. His first independent photo essay was released as a book in 1949: Magie der Schiene – Rail Magic. In 1954, this was followed by the now-iconic monograph, Das Auge der Liebe (The Eye of Love) – a tender, deeply personal love letter to his wife, Rita. “Had I been a writer, I would probably have sat down in the nearest café to write love poems for Rita… but as it was, my emotional impressions almost unwittingly became a love poem in photographs,” he later recalled.
From the mid-1950s onwards, Groebli pursued a career in advertising. He was also an innovator in the relatively new field of colour photography, frequently using his darkroom experiments for artistic applications. Throughout his career, Groebli oscillated between commercial and independent photography – between advertising and art, commissioned and independent projects. In 1981 the “Master of Color”, as an American photography magazine once called him, retired from professional life, though he did not turn his back on photography. Right up to the end, he presented his work in international exhibitions, created images across the genres of nude, landscape and portrait photography, and continued to publish photo books. René Groebli was an important artist, a staunch visionary, a mediator between art and craft. His legacy will endure – and his life will be honoured at the already planned 100th-birthday celebration: through images, unique and unforgettable.
LFI 7.2017+-
For further reference: René Groebli was featured as a Leica Classic in LFI 7.2017. More
René Groebli, 2017
© René Groebli, Courtesy of Bildhalle
© René Groebli, Courtesy of Bildhalle
© René Groebli, Courtesy of Bildhalle
© René Groebli, Courtesy of Bildhalle
© René Groebli, Courtesy of Bildhalle
© René Groebli, Courtesy of Bildhalle