Design of the eighth banknote series

The 50-franc note

Main colour: Green
Dimensions: 148 x 74 mm
Date of issue: 3 October 1995
Personality: Sophie Taeuber-Arp

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  • Microtext (front)

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    DAS UNIVERSELLE SCHAFFEN VON SOPHIE TAEUBER-ARP UMFASST DIE BEREICHE MALEREI TEXTIL PLASTIK UND RELIEF - TANZ THEATER UND MARIONETTEN SIND IHRE WEITEREN AUSDRUCKSMITTEL - ALS GESTALTERIN GIBT SIE WICHTIGE IMPULSE FÜR DIE ENTWICKLUNG DER KONSTRUKTIVEN KUNST

    L'OVRA UNIVERSALA DA SOPHIE TAEUBER-ARP CUMPIGLIA PICTURA TEXTILIAS SCULPTURA E RELIEV - SAUT TEATER E MARIONETTAS EN SES ULTERIURS MEDS D'EXPRESSIUN - SCO CREADRA DAT ELLA IMPULS IMPURTANTS PER IL SVILUP DA L'ART CONSTRUCTIV

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  • 'Relief rectangulaire' (1936)

    Sophie Taeuber-Arp is considered to be the creator of this type of relief. This work influenced an entire era of art history.

  • 'Tête Dada' (1919)

    This painted wooden head, an early example of Sophie Taeuber-Arp's work during the period of the Zurich Dada movement, is a portrait of Hans Arp, who later became her husband.

  • Composition 'Aubette' (1927)

    This composition, a product of her involvement in decorating the rooms of the 'Café Aubette' in Strasbourg, is a seminal early work of geometric-constructivist art.

  • 'Lignes ouvertes' (1939)

    This piece, from the last comprehensive group of works, is concerned with linearities and their interrelations with surfaces and space, reflecting Sophie Taeuber-Arp's early involvement in the art of dance.

  • Microtext (back)

    L'OEUVRE DE SOPHIE TAEUBER-ARP S'ÉTEND À LA PEINTURE AU TEXTILE À LA SCULPTURE ET AU RELIEF - SES AUTRES MOYENS D'EXPRESSION SONT LA DANSE LE THÉÂTRE ET LES MARIONNETTES - EN TANT QUE CRÉATRICE ELLE CONTRIBUE DE MANIÈRE IMPORTANTE À L'ART CONSTRUCTIF

    L'OPERA DI SOPHIE TAEUBER-ARP SPAZIA NEI CAMPI DELLA PITTURA DEL TESSILE DELLA SCULTURA E DEL BASSO RILIEVO - LA DANZA IL TEATRO E LE MARIONETTE SONO I SUOI ALTRI MEZZI ESPRESSIVI - QUALE ARTISTA LEI DA IMPORTANTI IMPULSI ALL'ARTE COSTRUTTIVA

Remember this woman's picture.

The portrait on the front of the 50-franc note shows Sophie Taeuber-Arp (1889-1943), one of the outstanding abstract artists of the 20th century. Her work includes painting, textiles, sculptures and reliefs. Dance and theatre were also among the artist's favoured media of expression. Circular, line and rectangular compositions, as well as the famous 'Dada heads', are typical of her work, as shown on the back of the note. Sophie Taeuber-Arp, who spearheaded new artistic movements, is one of the key figures in modern art.

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