Ricco (Oct. 13, 1915 in Allschwil – March 27, 1972 in Ropraz), born Erich Hans Wassmer; Swiss painter. His paintings often depict idealizing dream worlds in the genre of magic realism. Born into an upper-class environment as the son of cement factory owner and art patron Max Wassmer. From the age of 3 he grew up at Bremgarten Castle near Bern, which was filled with art and culture. Max and Tilli-Wassmer-Zurlinden socialized with poets, painters and composers such as Hermann Hesse, Louis Moilliet, Cuno Amiet, Paul Basilius Barth and Othmar Schoeck. Early on Erich Wassmer was interested in painting.... Wassmer marked the end of his childhood with a new name: From 1937 onwards Erich Wassmer signed his paintings with Ricco. Ricco studied in Munich and Paris, and was taught by Cuno Amiet. However, the influence of his teachers remained marginal. Ricco was fascinated by the sea, as well as by the desire to explore lost paradises and undiscovered territories. He had an anchor tattooed on his arm and added this symbol henceforth to his signature on his paintings. During the 40s, he crossed the ocean on a freighter, and lived for a while in Tahiti. In the 50s he settled at Bompré Castle near Vichy. In 1963, the French police discovered in his studio photos of nude boys who served as the basis for his paintings. A French court convicted him — without a formal indictment — of sexual "exploitation" of young boys and breach of morality to 8 months in prison. Ricco never recovered completely from this prison sentence. Following his release, Ricco returned to Switzerland and settled in a mansion in Ropraz. He died in 1972 at the age of 56. His early work (e.g. his paintings of castle life) can be classified as primitivist, while his mature work includes still... (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ricco) The Museum of Fine Arts in Berne believes approximately 500 paintings by Ricco exist. (http://www.kunstmuseumbern.ch/en/service/about-us/catalogue-raisonne-ricco-wassmer-622.html) undefined

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