Castle
Location, Object
Municipality of Oberdiessbach, Canton of Bern. Castle (Neues Schloss), built in 1668–69 by the Neuchâtel architect Jonas Favre for the Bernese patrician Albrecht von Wattenwyl (1617–1671), who had been in the service of the King of France.
The lavish interior decoration was mostly commissioned by Albrecht’s nephew, Niklaus von Wattenwyl (1653–1691) following the former’s death, and includes painted ceilings and panelling, tapestries, paintings, gilt-leather wall coverings, and ornament in the Louis XIII and Louis XIV styles. Last restored 2007–15.
Open to the public only by appointment (see schloss-oberdiessbach.ch).
Emblems (8)
Context
Upper floor, richly decorated reception room (“Gemalte Stube”), with four single-leaf panelled doors, each with two painted inset panels showing emblems with mottos in German (upper panel) and Latin (lower panel).
Authorship, Date
Perhaps painted by Albrecht Kauw (1616–1681/82) and his workshop, who were responsible for the room’s decorations, including the supraporte paintings above the four doors.
Significance
Moral emblems warning against vices and advocating a virtuous and well-regulated life.
Source
Emblemata anniversaria Academiae Noribergensis 1617 (nos. 2, 4, 6 and 8). The German mottos (nos. 1/3 and 5/7) were well known and can be found in contemporary collections of German proverbs.
Literature
KF 3: 553–554; Graf 1974: 157, 165; Herzog 1995 and 2013; Schweizer et al. 2018: 49–57; Oberli 2021: 295–297.
exterior, view from west.
upper floor, reception room, north wall with oven, supraporte painting by Albrecht Kauw, and door with emblems nos. 1 & 2.
upper floor, reception room, south wall with tapestry, supraporte painting by Albrecht Kauw, and door with emblems nos. 3–4.
upper floor, reception room, west wall with supraporte paintings by Albrecht Kauw and doors with emblems nos. 5–8.
upper floor, reception room, north wall door with emblems nos. 1–2.
A drinker holds a pewter tankard.
DAS SAUFEN MACHT DEN LEIB SCHWER.
A powder keg is ignited by the rays of the sun.
SIC MALA CONSILIA TANDEM.
A gambler sits at a gaming table with a backgammon board, dice, cards, and a purse.
SPIELEN MACHT DEN SECKEL LEER.
A fireplace with a burning fire.
NEC PROPE NEC PROCUL.
The Wheel of Fortune: A king with crown and sceptre sits on a wheel held by a hand emerging from the clouds.
OB MANCHEN DAS GLÜCK HAT ERHOBEN.
Milo of Croton carries an ox on his shoulders.
PATIENTIA ET USU.
The Wheel of Fortune: Pushed by a hand emerging from the clouds, a king falls from the wheel on which he is sitting, together with his regalia.
SO BLEIBT ER DOCH NICHT ALZEIT OBEN.
A wall clock with hanging weights.
UBI ONUS IBI SONUS.
Copyright note: Added 2026. All photos taken by the author, August 2026.