Church of St John the Baptist
Location, Object
Village of Laufenburg, Canton of Aargau. Church of St John the Baptist (Katholische Pfarrkirche St. Johannes Baptist); built 1439/41, enlarged 1489 (sacristy) and 1591–1593 (tower). Interior renovated 1604–1609; redesigned in late Baroque style, beginning in 1750–1752 and finished 1780. Restored 1972–1978 (interior) and 1990–1992 (exterior). Richly stuccoed and decorated interior, including illusionistic paintings of saints and emblems.
Emblems (8)
Context
I.1–2: Nave, vaulted and stuccoed ceiling, two frescoed emblems in circular medallions accompanying the three large paintings depicting scenes from the life of St John the Baptist by Anton Morath.
II.1–6: Side altar of the Virgin Mary (Immaculata-Altar) of 1702, retable. Six oval emblems framing the figures of Ignatius of Loyola (left, nos. II.1–3) and Francis Xavier (right, nos. II.4–6).
Authorship, Date
I.1–2: Anton Morath, from Staufen i. Br., 1750/52.
II.1–6: Unknown, the altar (perhaps the work of Johann Melchoir Wüest of Freiburg i. Br. [KdS AG 10: 120]) is dated 1702.
Significance
Glorification of John the Baptist (I.1–2) and the Virgin Mary as Immaculata (II.1–6), respectively.
Source
I.1–2: Unidentified. II.1–6: All motifs occur with similar mottoes in Picinelli/Erath 1681 (and later editions).
Literature
KdS AG 10: 41–42, 102–129; KF 1: 154–155; Graf 1974: 164; Heussler 1990: 42–43; Felder 1995.
exterior view from north-east.
nave, ceiling with frescoes painting and emblems nos. I.1–2.
view of the choir from north-west, with altar of the Virgin Mary far right.
A lily among thorns and reed.
STAT SED INTER SPINAS [cf. Song 2.2].
A bright star among smaller stars and the sun.
PRÆIT INTER STELLAS
altar of the Virgin Mary.
altar of the Virgin Mary with emblems nos. II.1–6.
A laurel wreath.
INTACTA VIRESCIT.
A rose without thorns.
ROSA SINE SPINA.
The rising sun.
FULGET IN ORTU.
The moon over a landscape.
GRATIA PLENA [Lk 1:28].
A lily among thorns.
LILIUM INTER SPINAS [Song 2:2].
Three rows of noughts.
EX TOT MILLIBUS UNAS [recte: UNA or UNAM?; cf. Song 5.10].
Copyright note: Added 2012; revised 2026. All photos taken by the author, June 2011 , except exterior view (Wikimedia Commons). Floor plan reproduced from Felder 1995; 9.