Mural “Chemische Fabrik vormals Sandoz Basel”
ETH main building

This painting shows the Sandoz factory in Basel. It is part of a series of murals in the wings of the ETH main building’s extension, constructed between 1914 and 1925, realized due to efforts of ETH Professor Robert Gnehm in his capacity as president of the ETH Board. Often overlooked today, the murals display Switzerland’s most important industries at the time. Financed by the companies themselves and donated to the ETH, they functioned as a form of advertising. 

Gnehm’s close ties to Swiss chemical companies may explain their strong visual presence within the building. As a full professor at ETH from 1894 onwards, Gnehm conducted research and taught, for example, on the dye wood brazilin. While holding a professorship in chemistry, he was also co-owner of Sandoz (1895) and chairman of the company’s board of directors from 1895 to 1900, also being a major shareholder. His biography exemplifies the strong connection between academia and industry that he embodied.