the Chief Priest's hands instead。
ART IN THE VALLEY OF SAAS ｛11｝
Having been told by Mr。 Fortescue； of the British Museum； that there
were some chapels at Saas…Fee which bore analogy to those at
Varallo； described in my book 〃Ex Voto；〃 ｛12｝ I went to Saas during
this last summer； and venture now to lay my conclusions before the
reader。
The chapels are fifteen in number； and lead up to a larger and
singularly graceful one； rather more than half…way between Saas and
Saas…Fee。 This is commonly but wrongly called the chapel of St。
Joseph； for it is dedicated to the Virgin； and its situation is of
such extreme beautythe great Fee glaciers showing through the open
porticothat it is in itself worth a pilgrimage。 It is surrounded
by noble larches and overhung by rock； in front of the portico there
is a small open space covered with grass； and a huge larch； the stem
of which is girt by a rude stone seat。 The portico itself contains
seats for worshippers； and a pulpit from which the preacher's voice
can reach the many who must stand outside。 The walls of the inner
chapel are hung with votive pictures； some of them very quaint and
pleasing； and not overweighted by those qualities that are usually
dubbed by the name of artistic merit。 Innumerable wooden and waxen
representations of arms； legs； eyes； ears and babies tell of the
cures that have been effected during two centuries of devotion； and
can hardly fail to awaken a kindly sympathy with the long dead and
forgotten folks who placed them where they are。
The main interest； however； despite the extreme loveliness of the
St。 Mary's Chapel； centres rather in the small and outwardly
unimportant oratories （if they should be so called） that lead up to
it。 These begin immediately with the ascent from the level ground
on which the village of Saas…im…Grund is placed； and contain scenes
in the history of the Redemption； represented by rude but spirited
wooden figures； each about two feet high； painted； gilt； and
rendered as life…like in all respects as circumstances would permit。
The figures have suffered a good deal from neglect； and are still
not a little misplaced。 With the assistance； however； of the Rev。
E。 J。 Selwyn； English Chaplain at Saas…im…Grund； I have been able to
replace many of them in their original positions； as indicated by
the parts of the figures that are left rough…hewn and unpainted。
They vary a good deal in interest； and can be easily sneered at by
those who make a trade of sneering。 Those； on the other hand； who
remain unsophisticated by overmuch art…culture will find them full
of character in spite of not a little rudeness of execution； and
will be surprised at coming across such works in a place so remote
from any art…centre as Saas must have been at the time these chapels
were made。 It will be my business therefore to throw what light I
can upon the questions how they came to be made at all； and who was
the artist who designed them。
The only documentary evidence consists in a chronicle of the valley
of Saas written in the early years of this century by the Rev。 Peter
Jos。 Ruppen； and published at Sion in 1851。 This work makes
frequent reference to a manuscript by the Rev。 Peter Joseph Clemens
Lommatter； cure of Saas…Fee from 1738 to 1751； which has
unfortunately been lost； so that we have no means of knowing how
closely it was adhered to。 The Rev。 Jos。 Ant。 Ruppen； the present
excellent cure of Saas…im…Grund； assures me that there is no
reference to the Saas…Fee oratories in the 〃Actes de l'Eglise〃 at
Saas； which I understand go a long way back； but I have not seen
these myself。 Practically； then； we have no more documentary
evidence than is to be found in the published chronicle above
referred to。
We there find it stated that the large chapel； commonly； but as
above explained； wrongly called St。 Joseph's； was built in 1687； and
enlarged by subscription in 1747。 These dates appear on the
building itself； and are no doubt accurate。 The writer adds that
there was no actual edifice on this site before the one now existing
was built； but there was a miraculous picture of the Virgin placed
in a mural niche； before which the pious herdsmen and devout
inhabitants of the valley worshipped under the vault of heaven。 ｛13｝
A miraculous （or miracle…working） picture was always more or less
rare and important； the present site； therefore； seems to have been
long one of peculiar sanctity。 Possibly the name Fee may point to
still earlier Pagan mysteries on the same site。
As regards the fifteen small chapels； the writer says they
illustrate the fifteen mysteries of the Psalter； and were built in
1709； each householder of the Saas…Fee contributing one chapel。 He
adds that Heinrich Andenmatten； afterwards a brother of the Society
of Jesus； was an especial benefactor or promoter of the undertaking。
One of the chapels； the Ascension （No。 12 of the series）； has the
date 1709 painted on it； but there is no date on any other chapel；
and there seems no reason why this should be taken as governing the
whole series。
Over and above this； there exists in Saas a tradition； as I was told
immediately on my arrival； by an English visitor； that the chapels
were built in consequence of a flood； but I have vainly endeavoured
to trace this story to an indigenous source。
The internal evidence of the wooden figures themselvesnothing
analogous to which； it should be remembered； can be found in the
chapel of 1687points to a much earlier date。 I have met with no
school of sculpture belonging to the early part of the eighteenth
century to which they can be plausibly assigned； and the supposition
that they are the work of some unknown local genius who was not led
up to and left no successors may be dismissed； for the work is too
scholarly to have come from any one but a trained sculptor。 I refer
of course to those figures which the artist must be supposed to have
executed with his own hand； as； for example； the central figure of
the Crucifixion group and those of the Magdalene and St。 John。 The
greater number of the figures were probably； as was suggested to me
by Mr。 Ranshaw； of Lowth； executed by a local woodcarver from models
in clay and wax furnished by the artist himself。 Those who examine
the play of line in the hair； mantle； and sleeve of the Magdalene in
the Crucifixion group； and contrast it with the greater part of the
remaining draperies； will find little hesitation in concluding that
this was the case； and will ere long readily distinguish the two
hands from which the figures have mainly come。 I say 〃mainly；〃
because there is at least one other sculptor who may well have
belonged to the year 1709； but who fortunately has left us little。
Examples of his work may perhaps be seen in the nearest villain with
a big hat in the Flagellation chapel； and in two cherubs in the
Assumption of the Virgin。
We may say； then； with some certainty； that the designer was a
cultivated and practised artist。 We may also not less certainly
conclude that he was of Flemish origin； for the horses in the
Journey to Calvary and Crucifixion chapels； where alone there are
any horses at all； are of Flemish breed； with no trace of the Arab
blood adopted by Gaudenzio at Varallo。 The character； moreover； of
the villains is Northernof the Quentin Matsys； Martin Schongauer
type； rather than Italian； the same sub…Rubensesque feeling which is
apparent in more than one chapel at Varallo is not less evident
hereespecially in the Journey to Calvary and Crucifixion chapels。
There can hardly； therefore； be a doubt that the artist was a
Fleming who had worked for several years in Italy。
It is also evident that he had Tabachetti's work at Varallo well in
his mind。 For not only does he adopt certain details of costume （I
refer particularly to the treatment of soldiers' tunics） which are
peculiar to Tabachetti at Varallo； but whenever he treats a subject
which Tabachetti had treated at Varallo； as in the Flagellation；
Crowning with Thorns； and Journey to Calvary chapels； the work at
Saas is evidently nothing but a somewhat modified abridgement of
that at Varallo。 When； however； as in the Annunciation； the
Nativity； the Crucifixion； and other chapels； the work at Varallo is
by another than Tabachetti； no allusion is made to it。 The Saas
artist has Tabachetti's Varallo work at his finger…ends； but betrays
no acquaintance whatever with Gaudenzio Ferrari； Gio。 Ant。 Paracca；
or Giovanni D'Enrico。
Even； moreover； when Tabachetti's work at Varallo is being most
obviously drawn from； as in the Journey to Calvary chapel； the Saas
version differs materially from that at Varallo； and is in some
respects an improvement on it。 The idea of showing other horsemen
and followers coming up from behind； whose heads can be seen over
the crown of the interposing hill； is singularly effective as
suggesting a number of others that are unseen； nor can I conceive
that any one but the original designer would follow Tabachetti's
Varallo design with as much closeness as it has been followed here；
and yet make such a brilliantly successful modification。 The
stumbling； again； of one horse