On the one hand, the work of Lucerne artist Hans Erni, who died in 2015 at the age of 106, is rather ­impressive, not least due to its enormous variety of materials: painting in small and ­monumental format, drawing and printmaking, ­ceramics and ­relief, poster and book art. On the other hand, this wealth corresponds to his ­stylistic range: from realistic and cubist-inspired beginnings during the 1930's, to purely abstract compositions, and the virtuoso synthesis of the two forms of ­expression in the 1940's. Erni's ­impressive con­tri­butions to surrealism, with their combination of ­informal background and masterly figurative ­re­presentation, lay the ground for his works of the subsequent decades. After previously being politically ­reviled, he now ­realizes numerous public works and has become internationally known as one of the most important represen­tatives of Swiss art in the 20th century. His ever-keen interest in social, political, and en­vironmental matters, and his commitment to peace, social justice, and nature conser­vation are all reflected in his visual and graphic work, as well as his ­curiosity about ­foreign cultures. This publication on the occasion of the 40th anniversary of the Hans Erni Museum provides an overview of the ­diversified collection of the Hans Erni Foundation.