Benedictine monastery, Chapel of Sorrows
Location, Object
Municipality of Metzerlen-Mariastein, Canton of Solothurn. Benedictine monastery and Marian pilgrimage site with baroque church (built 1648–1655) and chapels. Formerly freestanding Chapel of Sorrows (Siebenschmerzen- or Reichensteinkapelle), built c. 1500 and commissioned by the patrician family Reich von Reichenstein of Basle. Several refurbishments and renovations (1647, 1667, 1695/1596, 1892, 1942/1943, 1983/1986), including a free reconstruction of the ceiling in 1986.
Emblems (14)
Context
Boarded ceiling, divided into 35 panels, reassembled 1986 from fragments that had been discovered earlier, including 12 complete emblems in tempera grisaille colours with Latin inscriptions (nos. 1, 2, 4–8 and 10–14), two fragments of emblems (nos. 3 and 9), two paintings of patron saints (a, b) and five coats of arms (c–g).
Authorship, Date
Artist unknown; painted in 1667.
Significance
Contemplative allegories of the Seven Sorrows and Joys of the Virgin Mary.
Source
Unidentified.
Literature
Kdm AG 3: 355; KF 3: 820–821; Carlen 1987: 61 and 2015: 68–72 (with illustrations); Blank 2015.
aerial view from west.
aerial view from south-east.
interior with altar from north-east.
interior with altar from north-west.
interior with entrance from south.
ceiling, view from entrance (north).
ceiling, view from altar (south).
A hand cutting open a pomegranate.
SICUT FRAGMEN MALI PUNICI. Cant. 4.[3].
Franz Ignatius Fridolin Reich von Reichenstein [etc.].
A palace with a garden.
VAPORAVI HABITATIONEM MEAM. Eccl[esiast]i[cus] 24.21
[modern inscription with date of renovation of 1986].
Fragment showing a tower [originally two different emblems?]
SICU[T?] … DAT … [T]UUM … TURR…
Hearts pierced by swords.
ANIMA[M] PERTRANSIVIT. Luc.2.[35] QUANTO PLUS AMAVIT. TANTO PLUS DOLUIT. GRAVIUS PASSA [EST] MENTE QUAM MARTYRES CARNE. Richard[us] de S. Vict[ore].
A palm tree.
STATURA TUA ASSIMILATA EST PALMÆ. Cant. 7.7.
The Virgin Mary surrounded by the smoke of a fire.
QUÆ EST ISTA QUÆ ASCENDIT. SICUT VIRGULA FUMI EX AROMATIBUS MYRRHÆ ET THURIS. Cant. 3.[6].
Rivers flowing into the sea.
OMNIA FLUMINA NIRANT [recte: INTRANT] IN MARE. MARE NON REDUNDAT Ecl[esiast]i[cus 1.7].
Crowns and sceptres.
VENI CORONABERIS DE CAPITE, DE VERTICE AMANA. SANIR ET HERMON [Cant. 4.8] IN OMNI GENTE PRIMATUM HABUI Sir. 24.[10]. DE CUBILIS, DE MONTIUBUS LEONUM PARDORUM Cant. 4.[8].
Detail of destroyed pictura with grapes.
[No inscription].
A crucifix with a sun facing the moon; a group of five (heathen?) men looking up to the moon.
NOLITE CONSIDERARE QUOD FUSCA SIM. DECOLORAVIT ME. FILII MATRIS MEÆ PUGNAVERUNT CONTRA ME. Cant. 1.[5].
A rock with the Five Holy Wounds (two hands, a heart and two feet), in which there are little doves.
COLUMBA MEA IN FORAMINIBUS PETRÆ. Cant. 2[.14].
Allegory of Fortitude: A female soldier holding a broken column.
PER SABBATUM STETIT. Bern[ardus], serm. i. sig. in. MEA EST [FORTUTUDO]. Prov. 8.[14].
Allegory of Prudence: A female figure holding a mirror.
GLADIUS ANIMAM PERTRANSIBIT ILLA TAMEN MODESTIÆ METAS NON TRANSIVIT. S. Antonin[us]. mea est [prudentia]. Prov. 8.[14].
Soldiers guarding Solomon’s bed.
EN LECTULUM SALOMONIS SEXAGINTA FORTES AMBIRUNT. UNIUS CUISQUE ENSIS SUPER FEMUR SUUM [Cant. 3.7-8].
Saint Vincent.
Saint Benedict.
Coats of arms of members of the Reich von Reichenstein family.
Coats of arms of members of the Reich von Reichenstein family.
Coats of arms of members of the Reich von Reichenstein family.
Copyright note: Added 2020; revised 2026. All photos taken by the author, July 2018, except aerial views of exterior taken from www.kloster-mariastein.ch, and plan reproduced from Blank 2015: 13 and 21.