Hugo Reinhold Karl Johann Höppener, known by the pseudonym Fidus, was a German painter, illustrator, and publisher. Born in Lübeck on October 8, 1868, he died in Woltersdorf on February 23, 1948. Fidus was a proponent of the Symbolist movement, later incorporating influences from Art Nouveau and the Vienna Secession into his work. He was a student of Karl Wilhelm Diefenbach.
Fidus's art often drew from his beliefs in mysticism and Germanic neopaganism, aligning with the Lebensreform social movement that advocated for a nature-oriented lifestyle. His illustrations and paintings explored themes of spiritual awakening and natural harmony. He was also active as a book artist and graphic designer.
By the turn of the century, Fidus's works gained considerable popularity in Germany. Their later rediscovery directly influenced the psychedelic style of graphic design in the late 1960s.
