A mountain massif in central Switzerland, Mount Rigi rises above the waters of Lakes Lucerne, Zug and Lauerz, its main summit reaching some 1,800 metres above sea level. Turner had painted a series of iconic watercolours of its majestic profile under varying light conditions during a series of visits to Lucerne in the late 1830s and early 1840s. This view is from Mount Rigi itself, looking west over Lake Lucerne to Mount Pilatus. To the left stands the Bürgenstock, with the Stanserhorn behind. The long shadows thrown by the foreground chalets suggest a time in the late afternoon.
Calame spent several days on Mount Rigi in 1858. By this time, beginning with his first trip into the Bernese Oberland in 1835, he had spent over twenty years exploring the breathtaking scenery of his native Switzerland. During his excursions, he made countless drawings in sketchbooks and executed studies in the open air. He also painted what he termed ‘études achevées’, or finished studies, of which this view is an example. It is one of four versions known, of which one other is in the Neue Galerie in Kassel. Both these are given dates of 1861, suggesting that Calame worked them up from sketches he made on the spot during his visit. It both retains the crystalline quality of outline and colour which characterises his open-air studies, and demonstrates the Romantic sensitivity present in his larger-scale studio works.
The foreground is a study in light and shade, the ruined and abandoned chalets deep in shadow, apart from the brilliant sunlight falling on their roofs. The grass is bright emerald green, punctuated by rocks and hillocks. By contrast, the misty backdrop of water and mountains, behind which the light emanates, is shown in pearly blues and purples. The crisp handling of the foreground is juxtaposed with the atmospheric veiling of the mountain backdrop, demonstrating the full range of Calame’s approach and technique. The sensitive way he paints the grandeur of the mountains set against the afternoon sun can be viewed as a reflection of his belief that they bore the mark of the divine creator.
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