Hans Erni Biography: Age, Net Worth, Siblings, Parents, Height, Death, Wife, Children

Hans Erni was a prolific Swiss painter, engraver, sculptor, and designer whose dynamic, humanistic works — blending realism, mythology, science, and peace symbolism — adorned stamps, Olympic posters, and monumental murals, making him one of Switzerland’s most beloved and productive 20th-century artists.

Hans Erni
Wiki Facts & About Data
Name:	Hans Erni
Born:	February 21, 1909
Died:	March 21, 2015 (age 106 years old)
Place of Birth:	Lucerne, Switzerland
Nationality:	Swiss
Height:	175 cm
Religion:	Raised Protestant; later humanist/secular
Parents:	Johann Ulrich Erni and Maria Erni
Siblings:	Six
Spouse:	Gertrud Bohnert (M. 1937–1954, div.),
Relationship:	Married
Children:	Three
Occupation:	Painter, Graphic Designer, Sculptor, Illustrator
Net Worth:	$60 million to $120 million

Early Life And Education

Hans Erni was born on February 21, 1909, in Lucerne, Switzerland. He was raised by his parents, Johann Ulrich Erni, a locomotive mechanic, and Maria Schmid, in a working-class family with six siblings.

His ethnicity was Swiss-German. Showing early artistic talent, he apprenticed as a surveyor and architectural draughtsman (1924–1927) before studying art in Lucerne, Paris (Académie Julian, 1928–1929), and Berlin, where he discovered Cubism and abstraction.

Career

Erni remained figurative throughout his life, combining classical draftsmanship with modern vitality. Famous for Swiss Red Cross posters, UN and Olympic designs, Swiss banknotes (1970s rejected series), and massive murals (e.g., Swiss National Exhibition 1964, Lucerne Transport Museum).

He created over 300 stamps, illustrated books, and produced thousands of lithographs. Active until his 106th year, he opened the Hans Erni Museum in Lucerne in 1979 — still Switzerland’s most visited artist museum.

Social Media

• Instagram: @hansernimuseum
• Facebook: Hans Erni Museum

Personal Life

Hans Erni married three times and had three children. He lived and worked in Lucerne his entire life, famously painting daily until the days before his death at 106 — the oldest recognized living artist at the time. He died peacefully on March 21, 2015. His height was 175 centimetres.

Net Worth

Hans Erni’s estate is estimated at $60 million to $120 million. Driven by strong Swiss and international demand for his lithographs, posters, ceramics, and sculptures, plus the enduring popularity of the Hans Erni Museum and perpetual licensing of his designs.