Balstal (SO)

Chapel of St Anthony of Egypt

Location, Object

Village of Balsthal, Canton of Solothurn, Roman-Catholic cemetery. Chapel of St Anthony of Egypt (Anthony of the Desert, Antonius Eremita), former charnel house; built early 16th c. (choir), enlarged (nave) and decorated early 17th c., consecrated 1628; interior decorations restored 1948.

Emblems (14)

Context
1. Choir: frescoed groin vault with eight emblems in oval frames, two in each of the four cells (nos. 1–8). 2. Nave: boarded, seven-part barrel vault, divided into 8 x 3 panels with tempera decorations showing scroll ornaments and six oval emblems (nos. 9–14). All emblems with Latin mottoes.

Authorship, Date
Unknown artist; early 17th c. One of the earliest extant cycles of applied emblems in Switzerland.

Significance
Emblematic representation of the asceticism and saintly virtues of St Anthony of Egypt.

Source
Unidentified; no. 4 occurs in Typotius 1601/03: 1.24.

Literature
Kdm SO 3: 32–5; KF 3: 807–808; Graf 1974: 149–50, 162; RDK 7: 1215, 1224; Oberli 2021: 188–89.

Balsthal, Chapel of St Anthony of Egypt,
exterior from south.

Balsthal, Chapel of St Anthony of Egypt,
interior, central view from nave to choir.

Balsthal, Chapel,
nave, view from choir to entrance (west).

Balsthal, Chapel,
choir, eastern cell of groin vault.

Balsthal, Chapel,
choir, southern cell of groin vault.

Balsthal, Chapel,
choir, northern cell of groin vault.

Balsthal, Chapel, choir,
eastern cell with emblems nos. 1 and 2.

Balsthal, Chapel, choir,
southern cell with emblems nos. 3 and 4.

Balsthal, Chapel, choir,
western cell with emblems nos. 5 and 6.

Balsthal, Chapel, choir,
northern cell with emblems nos. 7 and 8.

Balsthal, Chapel, nave, barrel vault,
northern half with emblems nos. 9–11.

Balsthal, Chapel, nave, barrel vault,
northern half with emblems nos. 12–14.

**Balsthal 1**
Monks standing around a tree full of golden balls.
HANC LOT[…]IN EREMUS [rest of motto lost].

**Balsthal 2**
St Anthony in the mountains carrying an axe; a swan.
[…]MINUM […]L [rest lost].

**Balsthal 3**
A fox.
[F]UGE TAC[E] QU[I]ESCE.

**Balsthal 4**
A rock in the stormy sea.
NON COMMOV[EBITUR] [Prov 10:30].

**Balsthal 5**
St Anthony praying in the desert; a host of devils above him.
ANTONIO NUMEI S[…]S […]US [rest lost].

**Balsthal 6**
St Anthony with a fellow hermit reading and praying in the desert; angels appear in a cloud above.
EXU[LTA]BIT SOLITUDO [Isa 35:1]

**Balsthal 7**
St Anthony praying while the devil is riding a hog.
PORCUS AN ORCUS?

**Balsthal 8**
St Anthony striking a rock to bring forth water.
EX SAXO DAT EREMUS AQUAS [cf. Ps 77:16].

**Balsthal 9**
The moon with a cross above it.
HIC LIBER ANTONII.

**Balsthal 10**
St Anthony praying in the desert; an angel in a cloud above him.
BEATUS VIR QUI SUFFERT TENTATIONEM [Jas 1:12].

**Balsthal 11**
St Anthony seated and holding a cross; angels in a cloud above.
COELI ET CELLÆ HABITATIO COGITATA [recte: COGNATÆ; Ps-Berhardus, Epist. de vita solitaria, 4.10].

**Balsthal 12**
St Anthony praying in the desert; angels in a cloud above.
NUNQ[UAM] MIN[US] S[O]LUS QUAM CUM SOLUS [cf. Cicero, De oficiis 3.1.1].

**Balsthal 13**
St Anthony kneeling and praying before a cross in the desert.
VO[?] PREMIS AMPLIUS AMPLIUS ACCIN[G]O.

**Balsthal 14**
St Anthony in the desert with the dove of the Holy Spirit.
[DUC]T[U]S IN DESERTUM A SPIRITU UT [tempta]retur a di[ab]olo [Mt 4:1]

Copyright note: Added 2012; revised 2013 and 2026. All photos taken by the author, July 2011. Site plan reproduced from Kdm SO 3: 15.