In 1934, along with three painters from Winthertour, Wehrlin exhibits a large amount of his work for the first time in the Winthertur Beaux - Arts museum. Wehrlin also draws a lot. Thanks to his drawings he can create more spontaneously, more freely, more rapidly. Some of his drawings show a high degree of finish, as opposed to some of his oil paintings, where he puts all his efforts into one area of the canvas, leaving temporarily, but sometimes permanently, a large part of the painting at sketch stage. The « Discussion », dating from 1928 for example, was reworked in 1939.

The « Discussion » 1928, reworked in 1939 Oil on canvas - 100 x 150

In 1937, Wehrlin becomes a member of « La jeune Gravure Contemporaine » . In 1965, at the Charleville museum, « La jeune Gravure Contemporaine » was to render unanimous hommage to three of its member artists who had recently disappeared : Bissière, Villon and Wehrlin.
Just before the war, in 1938, he married Germaine DUPUIS. Their witnesses were the sculptor Germaine Richier and the painter Maurice-Georges Poncelet. The couple went to live in Antony, near Paris, in an old, crumbling 18th century lodge called « La Folie », where a whole floor was made into a workshop. Wehrlin spent the duration of the war in Antony, Unable to travel much because of the events, he worked in the surrounding area.

Germaine and Robert in front of "La Folie" in1947

"Le Couple" etching ca.1930

at Cagnes/mer 1930

These are the years that produced many landscapes in the Ile de France. He makes intensive use of etching and has a press in his workshop. He discovers lithography, most of his lithographs having been produced at Clot’s house. In 1943, he obtains an order from the Paris Beaux Arts for a series of posters, for which he produces, amongst others, the portraits of Arthur Honegger and Florent Schmitt. In 1944, he becomes a member of the Salon d’Automne.

Self portrait ca.1940 lithograph

Arthur Honegger ca.1942 lithograph

Charles Dullin ca.1943 lithograph

Just opposite from his house is « Le Château des Enfants Heureux », a childrens’ home, where he produces a large quantity of portraits (etchings, lithographs, drawings, oil paintings). A number of these were to be use to illustrate Léon FRAPIE’s « Maternelle », which won the Goncourt award in 1947. The « Maternelle » had previously been illustrated by POULBOT and STEINLEN, who was also a Swiss artist. In the same year, he illustrates a text by the brothers Jérôme and Jean Tharaud, followed the year after by René de Solier’s « Un Signe de Tête ».

"Les Enfants Heureux" 1940 Oil on canvas- 50x65

l'été à "La Folie" ca. 1945 Oil on isorel- 54 x 73

He also paints many scenes depicting the interior of his workshop. WEHRLIN seems to use the distorted view of space through a mirror progressively to cross the threshold of abstraction, assisted in his efforts by the revolutionary artistic movements of the time.

Workshop in Antony ca.1940 Oil on canvas - 72x92

"Le rendez-vous important" 1945 Oil on paper - 51x27

"L'atelier rouge" 1940 Oil on card - 54x64