Segantini Museum - St. Moritz, Switzerland

Most likely you did not come to St. Moritz for the art. However, it would be a big mistake missing the Segantini Museum St. Moritz. In between a ski day at the Corviglia and a pizza at Chesa Veglia, you should find the time to relax in this intimate museum hosting the work of Giovanni Segantini, the finest painter of the Swiss mountains. Born in 1858 in North Italy, the artist moved to Switzerland in 1886, first settling in Savognin, and eight years later moving to Maloja, at the top of the Engadin valley. His early works, produced in Milan and Brianza, still owed something to the traditional style of painting in Lombardy, more realistic, if not a bit gloomy. On moving to the Swiss Alps, the artist developed a style exuding radiance and color. He exerted an important influence on the development of Italian Divisionism. The Divisionism technique - fine parallel brush strokes of pure color - was his definitive contribution to the avant-garde art at the time - and the secret of the brilliant luminosity in his paintings. Unfortunately, the master died young, at the age of 41 from peritonitis: he was on the mountains above Pontresina, working to finish “Nature,” the central picture of his Alpine Triptych, which can be admired here.

Outside: The museum opened in 1908, only nine years after the death of Segantini. The building by architect Nicolaus Hartmann is almost hidden on the side of the road that connects Suvretta with St. Moritz. The stone building, that resembles a church due to its large cupola, was constructed along the lines of the pavilion Segantini had planned for his Engadin Panorama for the 1900 Paris World Exhibition. The Segantini Museum was renovated and extended in 1998-9 by architect Hans-Jörg Ruch.

Inside: The central attraction of the museum is the Alpine Triptych “Life, Nature, Death.” It is shown on the top floor under the dome. But before going upstairs, enjoy your time with the other paintings of Segantini. It is a way to get acquaintance with the artist’s style. Admire the clam and warm sunset in “Ave Maria a Trasbordo,” the bright blue sky of the Swiss Alps in “Noon in the Alps,” or the amazing Divisionist light of “Return from the Woods.” There are 12 paintings from the collection of the textile industrialist of St. Gallen Otto Fischbacher. The emphasis is on the Savognin period (1886-1894), from which there are six paintings on show.
Then, walk the stairs to the upper level into the domed room lit by a row of round windows. Here, take a seat on the bench to absorb the atmosphere and meditate in front of the Alpine Triptych. The three large paintings portray the life cycle – the beginning (“Life”), life (“Nature”), and end (“Death”) – in harmony with nature, throughout three seasons. With these three large canvases (“Nature” is bigger) Segantini reached the highest point of his Divisionist style. I always get lost in them; I feel in unison with nature, as Segantini did. You cannot miss the best painter of the beautiful landscapes that surround you in the Engadin. (Last visited 02/2000)