Artist Hans Erni turns 105

Hans Erni in June 2012 at the inauguration of the Biotop and sculpture garden at the Hans Erni Museum, situated in the grounds of the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne Keystone

If indefatigable Swiss painter and sculptor Hans Erni were having a party on February 21, he would be blowing out 105 candles. As it is, he hasn’t planned any form of celebration, saying “if something develops from my work, that’s celebration enough”.

The Lucerne-born creator of, among many other things, 300 posters and 90 postage stamps still works every day “from sunrise to sunset”. He is currently working on designs for the Swiss aircraft manufacturer Pilatus.

If genes count for anything, he still has several years left: his sister Maria died three weeks ago aged 107.

Erni is known for his figurative motifs such as horses and doves. He has created works of art for organisations including the UN, the Swiss government, the Red Cross – and the Swiss Broadcasting Corporation.

He has been married to his second wife Doris Kessler, 18 years his junior, since 1949.