Church of St John the Baptist
Location, Object
Hamlet of Muldain, municipality of Vaz/Obervaz, Canton of Grisons. Roman Catholic church of St John the Baptist (Filialkirche Son Gion Battista), built 1673–1677, as part of the Capuchin mission of Rhaetia; restored 1986–1990. Choir with frescoed paintings (all dating from the building of the church) and portico with timber panelled and painted ceiling (c. 1720), both showing scenes of saints’ lives and emblems.
Emblems (16)
Context
I.1–4: Transverse arch between nave and choir with four emblems in stucco frames with Latin mottoes, accompanying scenes of the life and martyrdom of St John the Baptist.
II.1–2: Painted panelled portico with twelve emblems accompanying scenes of the lives of St Francis, St Anthony, St John the Evangelist and John the Baptist, all weathered and in very poor condition.
Authorship, Date
Artist unknown; painted c. 1677 (I.1–4) and c. 1720 (II.1–12), respectively.
Significance
Glorification of St John the Baptist, the patron saint of the church (I.1–4). Nos. II.1–12 probably referred to the saints depicted on the side panels of the portico; a Marian context (Kdm GR 2: 298) is unlikely.
Source
Picinelli 1669 (I.1–2, I.4), with application to St John the Baptist; source of nos. II.1–12 unidentified.
Literature
Kdm GR 2: 296–299; KF 2: 105; Graf 1974: 154–155, 165; Sonder 1998: 42–44; Batz 2004: 128–131.
exterior from south-east.
exterior from south-west.
frescoed and stuccoed choir.
view towards the choir from the south-west.
A lily.
CITRA VIGOREM.
The Morning Star.
PREVIA SOLIS.
A trumpet.
VOX NON VERBUM.
A ship at sea with passengers on board.
ET IN MAGNO MAGNA.
timber-panelled portico with emblematic decorations from west.
timber panelled and painted portico, south side.
panelled and painted portico with emblems nos. II.1–12.
timber panelled and painted portico, west side with emblems nos. II.9–10.
[picturae and motti lost].
A star or a bomb (II.3); a fire (II.4)
[motti lost].
A ship at sea (II.5); an elephant? (II.6)
[motti lost, except for …CAT AC… (II.6)].
[picturae lost; II.8 shows perhaps a bear or a dog]
[motti lost, except for E… (II.8)].
[pictura lost]
MANET A… [perhaps AMANTIOR, as in Picinelli 1681: 4.540 (pelican)].
[pictura and motto lost].
[pictura lost]
ASP… P… [rest of motto lost].
[pictura and motto lost].
Copyright note: Added 2012; revised 2026. All photos taken by the author, July 2012. Floor plan reproduced from Kdm GR 2: 298.