Franz Gertsch (1930-2022) was a Swiss painter and graphic artist who gained international fame for his large-scale hyperrealistic portraits. He participated in several international exhibitions over his career, most significantly in documenta 5 (1972), organized by Harald Szeemann, Jean-Christophe Ammann, and others, which centered upon artists considered by the curators to be "questioning reality." Gertsch’s work was also included in the 1978 and 1999 Venice Biennales. Gertsch has been the recipient of multiple grants and prizes, including a DAAD Grant, Berlin (1974–75), and a cultural award from the Bürgi-Willert-Stiftung (1998). The Museum Franz Gertsch in Burgdorf, Switzerland, is devoted to his work.