Typical of the last century: The talented woman in the background, the man in the center. Victor Surbek (1885-1975) adorned the dial of the Zytglogge tower in Bern and designed stamps, banknotes, and tourism posters. He became famous as a landscape painter, influenced by Ferdinand Hodler. Marguerite Frey-Surbek (1886-1981) was introduced to painting by Paul Klee at the age of 18 and then forged her own distinct artistic path as a painter, draftsman, and graphic artist. Both were extremely successful, and their works were often exhibited. Journalist Markus Schneider is now on a quest to uncover the stories of both Surbeks, having spoken with relatives, collectors, and friends. In the spring, the couple worked together in the studio in Iseltwald on Lake Brienz, spending the rest of the year separately in the old town of Bern. Together, they traveled to Calabria, New York, Corsica, and Tunisia.