Chapel of St Mary
Location, Object
Village of Engelberg, municipality of Engelberg, Canton Obwalden, hamlet of Horbis (north-east of village centre and Benedictine monastery). Chapel of St Mary at ‘the end of the world’ (Marienkapelle am ‘Ende der Welt’, Unsere Liebe Frau im Horbis), built 1489 (choir) and 1635 (nave and portico); renovated 1699; restored 1901 and 1965–1967. Rich baroque interior, including decorated chancel (1635), high altar (1699) with statue of St Mary of Loreto and painted boarded ceiling.
Emblems (9)
Context
Nave: Boarded, five-part barrel vault, divided into 5 × 4 panels with tempera decorations showing nine Marian emblems with Latin mottoes and biblical verses (nos. 1–9), a painting of the Visitation (d) and Latin and German inscriptions (a–c, e–g).
Authorship, Date
Attributed to Johann Joseph Obersteg (1692–1757) and/or Johann Martin Obersteg the Elder (1724–1798) of Stans, not before 1750.
Significance
Glorification of the Virgin Mary as Immaculata, Mother of God, Protectress of the faithful, etc.
Source
Picinelli/Erath 1681 or later edition (nos. 3, 4, 7 and 9); Dorn 1750 (nos. 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8).
Literature
Kdm NW: 222–225; KF 2: 372; Graf 1972: 67–70; Graf 1974: 163.
exterior from north.
exterior from south.
exterior with the entrance from south-west.
interior from the entrance in south-west.
interior from west.
interior from east.
detail of boarded ceiling with Visitation and emblems nos. 1, 2, 5 and 6.
The sun and the Virgin Mary.
SOL NOS URE CORDIS RURE.
The moon and the Virgin Mary.
SPLENDE LUNA NOBIS UNÂ.
Noah’s Ark.
HÆC TIBI SOLA SALUS.
INGREDERE IN ARCAM. Genes. 7.V.i.
A fortified tower with a Marian flag.
ET TEGO, ET TERO.
MILLE CLYPEI EX EA Cant. 4.V.4.
A star and the Virgin Mary.
IN PROCELLA ECCE, STELLA.
The morning sky and the Virgin Mary.
SIS AURORA MORTIS HORA.
An oak tree casting a shadow.
NULLA EST HAC TUTIOR UMBRA.
A hand holding a fishing rod.
SINE FRAUDE FALLIT.
A heart with the Virgin Mary and the Infant Jesus.
PER ISTHANC IANUAM AD CÆLI PATRIAM.
SIC NOS TU VISITA.
[from the hymn ‘Sacris solemniis’]
Visitation.
Two putti holding shields.
Wer Maria Dienst Ergeben
Kan Des Heils Versichert Leben.
Mit deinem Liebes glantz / schein, brenn, Enzünde mich / das ich von Hertzen gantz / Lieb Lob und Ehre dich.
Wan Uns der sünden Nacht / will gäntzlich überfallen, / mit deines glantzes Macht, / befrey Vor sünden Allen.
Maria Aller Enden / Ein Meer, Und Morgen stern, / Hillff sicher uns dorth Lenden, / wo wir schon Wären gern.
Wan Entlich Kom(m)et an / die Letzte stund des Lebens / Ruofft nur Mariam an / wird gwüss nit seyn Vergebens.
Copyright note: Added 2021. All photos taken by the author, January 2021.