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Grand Chalet

Coordinates: 46°27′57″N 7°05′04″E / 46.46583°N 7.08444°E / 46.46583; 7.08444
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Grand Chalet
The south façade of the Grand Chalet in 2018
LocationRossinière
Built1752–1756
Built forJean-David Henchoz (1712–1758)
ArchitectsJean-David Henchoz (owner), Gabriel Massard (master mason) and Joseph Genayne (master carpenter)
Architectural style(s)Chalet
OwnerSetsuko, Comtesse Klossowska de Rola
Grand Chalet is located in Switzerland
Grand Chalet
Location of Grand Chalet in Switzerland
Grand Chalet is located in Canton of Vaud
Grand Chalet
Grand Chalet (Canton of Vaud)

The Grand Chalet, also known as Grand Chalet de Rossinière, Grande Demeure or Grande Maison, is a historic chalet in Rossinière, the French part of Switzerland. It is listed as a Swiss heritage site of national significance (1946: Classification as a monument at municipal level. 1996: Recognition as a heritage site of national significance). The French name Le Grand Chalet means The Big Chalet, in the sense of: The biggest house in town.

The Grand Chalet is one of the oldest and grandest chalets ever built in Switzerland, dating to the mid-18th century. The house was originally built for the local governor, court judge and curial (court clerk) during the time of the Bernese rule, Jean-David Henchoz (1712–1758), who was also a solicitor and farmer as well as a cheese and timber entrepreneur. In short: He was the most powerful man in the entire area. Accordingly, size mattered to him. Jean-David Henchoz played a key role in the design of the Grand Chalet. Some sources of information even list him as the architect. This was not uncommon at the time. Typically, the owner and the master carpenter were jointly responsible for the chalet plans.[1][2]

The Grand Chalet is considered one of the largest wooden houses ever built in the Alps. In one chronicle it is described as a castle with a turtle shell. The painter Balthus spent the last decades of his life in the Grand Chalet.[3][4][5]

The Grand Chalet has inspired various writers and poets throughout the centuries, giving rise to poems, stories and legends about this unique mountain house, which has always been a haven for artists.

"The Grand Chalet, a caravel washed up on a mountain, a Shinto temple (…) With its architecture in white wood and balconies of lace."

— Claude Roy on the Grand Chalet[6]

A historic chalet of the superlatives

[edit]
The entrance of the Grand Chalet in 2018 with the date 1754 painted on the façade, the year the roof was completed. The roof framework was laid on 27 July. The roof was built under the direction of three roofers from Montbovon from 4 November to 12 December 1754. Due to its size and slope, the Grand Chalet required a roof made of nailed shingles. At that time, it was common practice to weight the shingles down with stones, as these handmade iron nails were expensive. However, money was no issue in the construction of the Grand Chalet.[7]

The Grand Chalet was built between 1752 and 1756. The masonry base is the work of Gabriel Massard. He and his workers built a special open-air lime kiln, specifically for the production of lime and gypsum for the masonry of the Grand Chalet. The wooden structure is the work of the master carpenter Joseph Genayne (also Geneyne or Geneine) of Château-d'Œx and his carpenters. The friezes and painted decorations are by Jean Raynaud and his wife Marie Perronet of Château-d'Œx. It took 43 days to complete the painted decorations, including verses, inscriptions, coats of arms and frescoes depicting flowers and symbolic animals.[8][9][4]

The largest and the grandest

[edit]
The north façade of the Grand Chalet on a postcard in the early second half of the 20th century. In general, it can be said that the architecture of the Grand Chalet is no different from other chalets in the area, except that everything is simply a few sizes larger.

The Grand Chalet surpasses all the superlatives of all other chalets in Switzerland. It is the largest chalet in the entire country. The Grand Chalet consists of: 500 m2 of floor space, 60 rooms on five floors, 113 windows and a 2,800-letter dedication painted on the façade, partly consisting of verses from the works of Antoinette du Ligier de la Garde Deshoulières. The other inscriptions express the deep Christian faith of Jean-David Henchoz, the first owner of the house. Some of the thought-provoking verses are: "How little man knows the death he fears", "Pride is ridiculous and vain", "Death is born with him", "He begins to die long before he dies", "The worms will grow fat on your rotting flesh", "Do well today, without waiting until tomorrow" and "Because who can be sure of being alive tomorrow".[3][4][8][9]

The first owner of the Grand Chalet, Jean-David Henchoz, had himself immortalised on the north façade of his house as follows: It is by the help of God that the Sieur Jean-David Henchoz, the current court judge of Rossinière, son of the late honourable Gabriel Henchoz, in his lifetime former court judge and governor of the said place, had this house built.

The wooden structure of the Grand Chalet is made entirely of local Alpine wood, with elaborately carved balconies and a sloping roof characteristic of traditional Swiss architecture. To build the chalet it required 750 m3 of logs, or more than 200 spruce trees, and 950 m2 of shingles for the roof, or 70 more spruce trees. The shingles of the Grand Chalet are 45 centimetres long, 13 centimetres wide and 8 millimetres thick, which represents approximately 225 shingles per square metre. When the roof of the Grand Chalet was re-roofed in 1994, over 200,000 shingles were needed. In total, almost 1,000 m3 of wood were cut in the owner's forests for the construction of the Grand Chalet. The southern façade of the Grand Chalet measures 27.0 meters by 19.5 meters with a depth of 15.0 meters.[4][7][8][9]

But early on, there were voices that argued the Grand Chalet was too big. In 1848, the building tax assessors wrote in their report on the Grand Chalet: "It is a building of gigantic size, with numerous rooms, many of which, however, are unheated. The roof is expensive to maintain. The rental value and the selling price are highly illusory, since there is no possibility of renting out a similar building. It follows from all this that the market value bears no relation to the income, since one could achieve more with less money."[10]

"Too grand for ‘Gemütlichkeit’, it is perhaps best described as an example of Helvetian gothic."

— Nicholas Foulkes on the Grand Chalet[11]

A house dedicated to cheese

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The Grand Chalet was initially designed not just a residential building, but also as a regional cheese warehouse and trading center, reflecting the economic significance of dairy production in the area. This also explains the extraordinary size of the house, especially the cellar, where up to 600 cheese wheels could be stored, mainly coming from the L'Étivaz valley. And this also explains why Jean-David Henchoz was called the Cheese Baron.[5][12]

A hotel for writers, artists and aristocrats

[edit]
The Hôtel-Pension du Grand Chalet in the early years (engraving, around 1860). The gallery on the south side, added in the 19th century, was later dismantled.

In 1852, the Grand Chalet was turned into a hotel by Rodolphe Henchoz de Loës, a great-grandson of Jean-David Henchoz. At that time, the Grand Chalet was inhabited by only one member of the family Henchoz. Most likely it was the pastor Charles Scholl. Charles Scholl was a grandson of Gabriel Henchoz, who was a brother of Jean-David Henchoz. It was during the course of this conversion into a hotel that Rodolphe Henchoz de Loës renamed the house, previously known as Grande Maison, to Hôtel-Pension du Grand Chalet.[2][4][10][12]

Rodolphe Henchoz de Loës recognised the signs of the times. He wanted to take advantage of the potential of Switzerland's natural beauty, as already praised by Johann Wolfgang von Goethe on his travels there in 1775, 1779 and 1797. Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s widely read reports made Switzerland appear as a real place of longing. In addition, with the development of the railway and steam shipping, the travel activity of the European upper class had increased rapidly. With the Grand Chalet, Rodolphe Henchoz de Loës also had an ideal house, which, due to its size, was ideally suited to being converted into a hotel. The Hôtel-Pension du Grand Chalet was one of the first hotels in the area.[2][13][14]

The conversion work to the Hôtel-Pension du Grand Chalet

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The main entrance on the north side of the Hôtel-Pension du Grand Chalet, with the hotel sign above the door (in the middle of the façade). Photographed by Max van Berchem in 1899.

To improve the Grand Chalet's use as a hotel, significant changes were made. These included the construction of a gallery on the south side (a large balcony running the length of the façade), the removal of two large open fireplaces in the kitchens and the conversion of the basement rooms on the ground floor (the cheese cellars) into a dining room with French doors. Some of these changes were later reversed during further renovations. At this time, the painted decorations on the façade were also restored for the first time.[2]

Contrary to the exterior appearance, the rooms of the Grand Chalet are mostly rather small and simple, the corridors narrow and the ceilings low. Because of this, you don't notice the Grand Chalet's size inside. You never feel like you are in a big house. The large number of rooms was an advantage for the hotel operation. Many room doors still bear the original hotel room numbers. However, due to the difficulty of heating the house, it can be assumed that not all rooms of the house were actually used.[15]

Despite all the structural changes that were made over time for the hotel operation, until the hotel closed in 1976 there was only one bathroom on the ground floor for hotel guests, but over 40 chamber pots.[15]

Back to the original

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The most visible structural changes on the south side, the gallery, the large windows and the French doors, were only dismantled after the change of ownership and the end of the hotel business in 1976. Thus, the original condition of the Grand Chalet's façade was restored. At this time, the interior was also gradually renovated, with great emphasis on authenticity.[2][15]

So chic and very British: The hoteliers Henchoz, Haldi, Ware and Devenish & Scott

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Brochure of the Hotel Grand Chalet from the early 20th century, showing the hotelier's widow M. Haldi, and at this time hotelier in her own right (sitting in the middle on an armchair), surrounded by her family and staff in front of the main entrance.

The hotel quickly became very popular. It was the time of the last years of the era of the Grand Tour. Holidays in the Swiss Alps were in favour of the high society, especially among the British, Americans, Russians and Australians, some of whom traveled to Rossinière with their servants and stayed at the Hôtel-Pension du Grand Chalet for several months. The hotel was deliberately designed to meet the needs of the British upper class, the largest group of tourists and permanent tenants of the Grand Chalet. The strong British currency, the Pound sterling, made living in Switzerland extremely attractive for British guests. The British aristocrats were loyal guests for generations. Notable hotel guests at the Grand Chalet were Victor Hugo, Léon Gambetta and Alfred Dreyfus. The Grand Chalet remained in the possession of the family Henchoz until 1875.[2][16][17]

The south façade of the Hotel Grand Chalet on a postcard from the pre-World War I period. In 1908, Miss Scott, who later became co-hotelier, came to the Grand Chalet for the first time as an 8-year-old. She lived permanently in the Grand Chalet with her mother and sister. During World War I, however, they lived in England, but returned in 1925.[16]

The Grand Chalet then came into the possession of the family Haldi. The hotelier's widow, in particular, was considered a business-minded person. It was probably she who changed the name of the hotel from Hôtel-Pension du Grand Chalet to the shorter name and English spelling Hotel Grand Chalet. The widow M. Haldi ran the hotel from the beginning of the 20th century until her death in 1941. Then, a certain M. Ware bought it, but his business success as a hotelier was limited.[16]

It was not until Antoine Devenish and his business partner Miss Scott purchased the Grand Chalet in 1951 that the hotel's commercial success returned. Antoine Devenish, who came from South Africa, was already familiar with the Hotel Grand Chalet. He had first visited it in 1928, as a twelve-year-old. Miss Scott was also already very familiar with the Grand Chalet. She had been a regular guest and even a permanent tenant at the Hotel Grand Chalet since before World War I. The families Devenish and Scott already knew each other. They were close friends. Antoine Devenish and Miss Scott reopened the Hotel Grand Chalet at Easter 1952.[16]

Antoine Devenish and his business partner shared the workload, with Miss Scott primarily responsible for the food. The kitchen was her domain, for which she was widely known and appreciated.[16]

The Hotel Grand Chalet has always had many regular guests. In addition to primarily British and American guests, there were also Swiss guests, particularly from Basel, who enjoyed practicing their English with the other Anglo-Saxon guests, as English was the unofficial language at the Grand Chalet. In the afternoon, many people were having tea on the gallery or the veranda below, or in the parlor. And everyone was chatting in English.[16]

The Grand Chalet: The epitome of the Swiss chalet

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A postcard from 1914 with greetings from the Hotel Grand Chalet to Wimbledon. The postcard is postmarked 20 July 1914, eight days before the outbreak of World War I. During the war, British internees were housed in the Grand Chalet.[10]

For the hotel guests, the Grand Chalet became the epitome of the Swiss chalet. British guests, in particular, took a liking to the chalet architecture, and it became fashionable to have a Swiss chalet, which they called Swiss cottage, in the spacious parks of British stately homes. Queen Victoria and her husband Prince Albert had a Swiss cottage built for their children on the grounds of Osborne House between 1853 and 1854. This Royal Swiss Cottage became the most famous Swiss chalet outside Switzerland.[18][19]

The most famous connection of the name Swiss cottage in the United Kingdom, however, is with the district Swiss Cottage in the London Borough of Camden. The district is named after an inn that was first called The Swiss Tavern, built in 1804 in the style of a Swiss chalet on the site of a former toll-keeper's house. It was later renamed The Swiss Inn and, in the early 20th century, The Swiss Cottage.[20]

The British upper class and the Swiss Alps: The royal visit of 1868

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In the second half of the 19th century, it was none other than Queen Victoria herself who was responsible for the great boom in British tourism in the Swiss Alps. It was the queen who drew the attention of the British upper class to the Swiss mountains with her visit to Switzerland in 1868. This was the first visit to Switzerland by a reigning British monarch. The five-week stay left its mark not only on Queen Victoria, but also on the Swiss tourism industry. The Bernese Oberland, especially Gstaad and the surrounding villages, including Rossinière, also benefited from this boom.[21][22]

Balthus comes for tea

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Balthus at the Grand Chalet in 2000, portrait photograph by Oliver Mark.

In 1976, another sophisticated figure came to the Hotel Grand Chalet: Balthasar, Comte Klossowski de Rola, called Balthus, the world-renowned painter. At that time, he and his wife Setsuko, Comtesse Klossowska de Rola, were visiting friends in Gstaad who suggested having tea at the Hotel Grand Chalet. It was love at first sight. The house so fascinated Balthus that the French-Polish artist immediately considered purchasing the Grand Chalet, which was up for sale at the time. His wife Setsuko agreed and added: "I would like to live here." Setsuko vividly remembered this moment and said: "When Balthus said that he was interested in buying the Grand Chalet, the owner, Antoine Devenish, almost fainted. He couldn't believe that someone was finally genuinely interested." The hotelier tried unsuccessfully to sell the Grand Chalet since 1971. Before Balthus came along, many potential buyers were put off by the sheer size of the wooden structure and the associated renovation and maintenance costs. But not Balthus. On the contrary. He felt that he had arrived. Two days after Balthus's first visit to the Grand Chalet, the purchase was negotiated and agreed upon. Ultimately, at the end of his life, Balthus will never have lived in one place longer than in the Grand Chalet.[4][5][15][16][23][24]

Two of the greats had found each other: A great artist was looking for a new home and a great house was looking for a new owner. It was the great artist who would ultimately restore the great house to its former glory. Thus began the grand era of the Grand Chalet.[4]

"I found my secret geometry here."

— Balthus on his beloved Grand Chalet, whereat Balthus understands secret geometry as the silent order, the world of forms and the harmony of the place – something that inspires calm, creativity and introspection[23]

The grand era of the Grand Chalet: Balthasar Klossowski de Rola

[edit]
Setsuko, Comtesse Klossowska de Rola, in front of the Grand Chalet in 2018 (south side), wearing a traditional kimono. "All the wood reminded me of a traditional Japanese house," Setusko's first impression when she saw the Grand Chalet in 1976.[15]

In 1976, Balthasar Klossowski de Rola, called Balthus, acquired the Grand Chalet. He acquired the Grand Chalet all-inclusive, meaning with a large portion of its inventory. Some of the furniture and furnishings still in the Grand Chalet today originate from the hotel's former inventory. Balthus bought the house from the last hotelier of the Grand Chalet, Antoine Devenish. He was a legendary host who organised excursions and costume parties for his guests and even went skiing with them. However, the Grand Chalet's hotel operations were no longer up to date. There were only two hotel rooms with private bathrooms. The other hotel guests had to share a bathroom on the ground floor. Major investments would have been necessary. In addition, Antoine Devenish's health was not the best. Furthermore, none of his three children wanted to succeed him as hotelier. One of his children is the photographer Sebastian Devenish. For these reasons, Antoine Devenish decided to sell the Grand Chalet. Antoine Devenish was the third owner after the family Henchoz had sold the Grand Chalet in 1875.[5][16][23][25]

"It was decided in one second. We came for tea and we just remained."

— Setsuko, Comtesse Klossowska de Rola, on the decision to buy the Grand Chalet in 1976[24]

Balthus and his wife Setsuko moved into the Grand Chalet in 1977. They had previously lived in Rome, where Balthus presided over the Villa de Medici as director of the French Academy in Rome. A position to which he was appointed by the French Minister of Culture André Malraux. It was Balthus's gallerist, Pierre Matisse, who lent him the money to purchase the Grand Chalet. There was no contract. The arrangement between Balthus and Pierre Matisse was based on a gentlemen's agreement. Balthus repaid the loan with his paintings. "I will work," Balthus had said, simply.[5][25][26][15]

Although Balthus and his wife Setsuko had already purchased the Castello di Montecalvello between Florence and Rome by this time, they moved to Switzerland on the advice of Balthus's doctor. The Italian sirocco wind occasionally reawakened the malaria Balthus had contracted during his military service in Morocco. And Balthus soon realised that the Swiss climate was good for him.[25]

Balthus transformed the Grand Chalet into a private artistic retreat. He lived and worked there for nearly 25 years, welcoming artists, intellectuals, diplomats and close friends and collaborators.[25][24]

The Castello di Montecalvello remained in Balthus's possession. He used it as a second residence. Upon his death, he bequeathed it to his son, Stash de Rola, who still owns it.[27]

Balthus holds court at the Grand Chalet: The Gstaad Society

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The studio of Balthus in one of the outbuildings of the Grand Chalet in 2018. Balthus died here on 18 February 2001, in the presence of his wife Setsuko and his daughter Harumi. After Balthus's death, everything was left exactly as it was at the time of his death. In the background on the wall hangs a photo of Balthus's friend Alberto Giacometti.

Over time, the Grand Chalet became a place of pilgrimage for countless admirers of Balthus's work. Many personalities visited the Grand Chalet, such as: The diplomat and senior international official Prince Sadruddhin Aga Khan, the photographers Kishin Shinoyama, Henri Cartier-Bresson and his wife, the portrait photographer Martine Franck, the painter Renato Guttuso, the gallerists and patrons Pierre Matisse, Alice Pauli and Ernst Beyeler, the film actors Philippe Noiret, Tony Curtis and Richard Gere, the film director and photographer Wim Wenders, the film director and screenwriter Federico Fellini, the journalist and television presenter Gero von Boehm, the musicians Bono and Mick Jagger, the industrialists Gianni Agnelli and Gunter Sachs, the Dalai Lama, the secretary-general of the United Nations Kofi Annan, the philanthropist and art collector Simon Sainsbury, the models Elle Macpherson and Inès de La Fressange, the Italian businessman, art dealer and husband of Inès de La Fressange Luigi d'Urso (1951–2006), the fashion muse and accessory and jewellery designer Loulou de la Falaise, who was married to Thadée Klossowski de Rola (* 1944), the younger son of Balthus, and classical musicians such as Riccardo Muti and Zubin Mehta.[4][23][28][29][30]

"Since we are near Gstaad, that gave us access to an international social life."

— Setsuko, Comtesse Klossowska de Rola, about the Gstaad Society, to which many guests of the Grand Chalet belonged[15]

David Bowie's interview with Balthus at the Grand Chalet

[edit]

Another visitor was David Bowie, who, like Joan Miró, Pablo Picasso and Alberto Giacometti, was also a great art connoisseur and friend of Balthus. David Bowie conducted an interview with Balthus in the summer of 1994, which was published in Modern Painters. David Bowie had asked Balthus for an interview, after he had joined the editorial board of Modern Painters that same year. For David Bowie, however, this was not just an interview. For him it was "the interview with the least known great painter of the 20th century," as he said. And the stage where it was to take place was the legendary Grand Chalet. David Bowie's plan worked. For the interview, Balthus invited him to lunch at the Grand Chalet. David Bowie also lived in Switzerland at that time, not far from Balthus. The two had met at a gallery opening for Balthus's wife Setsuko. David Bowie later said he was in awe: Both of the famous artist Balthus and of the task he had set himself of conducting this interview. He said: "I was so petrified, I nearly turned back three times." The interview and the introductory text by David Bowie are considered extraordinary.[4][31][32][33]

First a scandal, then a collector's item: The Château Mouton Rothschild label 1993

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An empty case of Château Mouton Rothschild wine, vintage 1993, in Balthus's studio. Balthus designed the bottle label for this vintage. It caused a scandal in the USA and became a collector's item.

Philippine Mathilde Camille, Baroness de Rothschild, was another friend and regular guest at the Grand Chalet. The baroness often stayed in Switzerland, usually residing at the family-owned Château de Pregny, near Geneva. From there, it was not far to Rossinière. Balthus also knew this area very well. After World War II, he had lived for some time in the Villa Diodati, also near Geneva.[34]

For the Baroness de Rothschild's winery, Château Mouton Rothschild, Balthus had designed the bottle label for the 1993 vintage. The design depicts a nude reclining nymphet. However, the label caused a scandal in the USA and was banned there. Since it was the Baroness de Rothschild personally who had approved the bottle label for the 1993 vintage Château Mouton Rothschild, it was also the baroness who made the decision to withdraw the label from the U.S. market when she heard of complaints about it. The interesting fact, however, is that the label was approved for use in the United States by the Treasury Department's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives. The result was that for the U.S. market the label was made with a blank space where the image should have been. Both versions of the 1993 vintage are now extremely sought after by collectors.[35][36]

The end of the grand era of the Grand Chalet: The legacy

[edit]
Balthus's glasses in his studio as he left them on the day of his death. In the background, behind the armchair, is the chaise longue with the pillows on which he died on 18 February 2001. Before he died, Balthus continually repeated: "I should continue, I should continue."[24]

With Balthus's funeral on 24 February 2001, the Grand Chalet's grand era also came to an end. Balthus's friends gathered at the Grand Chalet one last time to bid farewell to the great artist. Among them were Prince Sadruddhin Aga Khan, Elle Macpherson and Bono, who is Harumi Klossowska de Rola's godfather. The Irish singer, guitarist and songwriter of the rock band U2 sang at Balthus's funeral.[37][38]

The appreciation for Balthus was also expressed by the fact that three countries sent official delegations to his funeral: France, Italy and Switzerland. Switzerland was represented by Federal Councillor Ruth Dreifuss.[37][38]

Furthermore, tributes poured in from the worlds of art and politics for Balthus. The President of the French Republic, Jacques Chirac, called him "an artist of exceptional talent both in drawing and painting." And the French president added in his press release that Balthus was "one of the most important artists of the 20th century (...) A profound, unique and subtle personality who hated banality above all else." Jacques Chirac and his wife Bernadette were close friends with Setsuko and Balthus, who were welcome guests at the Palais de l'Élysée. During his state visit to Switzerland on 28 and 29 October 1998, Jacques Chirac also met with Balthus and Setsuko. Balthus and Setsuko were explicitly mentioned in the French president's official address in Bern, which addressed diplomatic, cultural and economic relations between France and Switzerland. Jacques Chirac said: "I would like to acknowledge the presence among us of one of the most remarkable men of our century, Balthus." Following the official state visit, the President of the French Republic stayed privately in Switzerland for a few days.[37][39][40][41][42]

In addition, Vittorio Emanuele, Principe di Savoia, and his wife Marina Doria, Principessa di Savoia, as well as their son, Emanuele Filiberto, Principe di Savoia, came to the funeral in Rossinière and paid their last respects to Balthus. Balthus had painted a portrait drawing of Emanuele Filiberto di Savoia when the prince was still a child. Because Balthus painted slowly, the prince had to wait years for his portrait.[43][44][38][37]

There were paintings that Balthus worked on for up to 10 years before finally painting over them because he wasn't satisfied with them. His gallerist, Pierre Matisse, showed a lot of patience and understanding. Balthus's complete oeuvre comprises approximately 350 paintings. The family still owns five of them today.[29]

Balthus hosted the art world and the friends of the arts at the Grand Chalet. Or as Ambassador Nicolas Bideau aptly put it during his visit to the Grand Chalet on 12 October 2018: "The Grand Chalet is a place for the arts, which have always been an important part of diplomacy. And cultural diplomacy overcomes borders and opens doors."[45]

The painter's simple grave lies under shady trees next to the Balthus Chapel in Rossinière. "Simplicity and purity," said Balthus, "are the essence from which everything emerges: the beautiful as well as the cruel." Balthus's widow, Setsuko Klossowska de Rola, continues to cultivate Balthus's legacy and is committed to preserving the Grand Chalet as a cultural landmark.[25][29]

Balthus's studio

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Balthus's widow Setsuko in Balthus's studio in front of one of the unfinished works in 2018.

A particularly impressive room is Balthus's former studio. It is located in the former garage, which dates back to the time when the Grand Chalet was still a hotel.[4]

This room, resembling a monk's cell and also reminiscent of a temple, contains his last, unfinished works. It was here that, in February 2001, Balthus spent his last night on a chaise longue in the presence of his wife Setsuko and his daughter Harumi.[4][24]

"We hardly spoke, but there was something very beautiful about those moments."

— Setsuko Klossowska de Rola, Balthus's widow, about her last hours with her husband in his studio in 2001[5]

After Balthus's death, everything in the studio was left exactly as it was at the time of his death. The studio has been preserved as a time capsule to this day.

The secret rulers of the Grand Chalet: Balthus's cats

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Balthus: A Portrait of H. M. The King of Cats, painted by Himself, 1935.

With Mitsou (1921), the picture story of a cat found and immediately lost again, Balthus, at the age of eleven, began a lifelong relationship with cats, which since the Romanticism have embodied both freedom and the inner world of creative people. According to Balthus's son Thadée Klossowski de Rola (* 1944), Balthus used to say: "I must smell funny. Because whenever there is a cat around it comes and loves me."[46][47]

The King of Cats

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In 1935, the year Balthus painted his portrait The King of Cats, Balthus adopted the title King of Cats, which he used to sign his letters to his future first wife, Rose Alice Antoinette von Wattenwyl (1912–1997). The portrait bears the inscription: A Portrait of H. M. The King of Cats, painted by Himself, MCMXXXV. The self-portrait thus represents a painter-monarch at the head of an empire populated by cats, exactly the situation that was also found at the Grand Chalet, which was home to Balthus's many cats. Unlike humans, the cats had unrestricted access to every room at the Grand Chalet. Balthus's obsession with cats would last throughout his lifetime.[3][46][48]

"And Balthus was a cat lover. He painted many pictures in which the cat is a kind of self-portrait."

— Sabine Rewald, curator of the exhibition Balthus: Cats and Girls at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York (25 September 2013 – 12 January 2014)[49]

The Association L'Atelier de Balthus

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The south façade of the Grand Chalet with the birdcage on the side in 1996.

Following Balthus's passing, the Balthus Foundation was established at the Grand Chalet to preserve his legacy.

In 2018, the heritage of the Balthus Foundation was entrusted to the Cantonal Museum of Fine Arts (MCBA), giving rise to the Atelier de Balthus Association, which seals and strengthens the links between Balthus, the Municipality of Rossinière and the Canton of Vaud.

The association manages the cultural activity between the Balthus Chapel (a living museum on the life of the painter open all year round), the Balthus Studio open to the public and the Grand Chalet, the family home, an emblematic building, witness to the rich know-how of the craftsmen of yesteryear who built the architectural heritage of the region.[2]

Notable activities of the Balthus Foundation related to the Grand Chalet:

  • Bijoux et aquarelles d'Harumi – 22 February 2002
  • La Jeunesse de Balthus – 21 September to 16 November 2003
  • Henri Cartier-Bresson et Martine Franck – 4 July to 3 October 2004
  • Les Dessins de Balthus – 26 June to 30 October 2005
  • La Magie du Paysage – 2 July to 17 September 2006
  • Le Mystère des Chats – 14 July to 16 September 2007
  • Memorial Day – Ceremony for 100 years of Balthus – 29 February 2008

References

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  1. ^ "Journées européennes du patrimoine en Suisse romande" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2004-10-28. Retrieved 2011-01-24.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g Commune de Rossinière: Le Grand Chalet ou Chalet Balthus – Le contexte historique, A propos de Rossinière, Patrimoine architectural : Le Grand Chalet, Rossinière, récupéré 2025
  3. ^ a b c Irene Loebell: Le Grand Chalet de Balthus, Swiss Films, documentary about this extraordinary house and the remarkable cosmos which the painter Balthus created in the Grand Chalet, consisting of approximately 60 rooms, directed and written by Irene Loebell, November 2003
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k SWI – Swissinfo: Balthus wohnte im grössten Chalet der Schweiz, The Swiss voice in the world since 1935, article by Rodrigo Carrizo Couto, 28 December 2009
  5. ^ a b c d e f SWI – Swissinfo: A home for aristocratic artists, The Swiss voice in the world since 1935, article by Rodrigo Carrizo Couto, 3 July 2009
  6. ^ Claude Roy: Balthus – Leben und Werk, Schirmer/Mosel, 1999
  7. ^ a b Jürg Zbinden: Le Grand Chalet de Rossinière, Éditions mo, 2004, pp. 14–17
  8. ^ a b c Emile Henchoz: Jean-David Henchoz, curial de Rossinière, sa famille et son œuvre, Journal de Château-d'Œx, 1948, Suppl. de Noël, pp. 2–4
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  11. ^ Nicholas Foulkes: The extraordinary Chalet Balthus, Financial Times, 8 October 2021
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  13. ^ Goethe-Gesellschaft Schweiz: Goethe und die Schweiz, abgerufen 2025
  14. ^ Susan Barton: Healthy living in the Alps – The origins of winter tourism in Switzerland, 1860–1914, Manchester University Press, 2008
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  16. ^ a b c d e f g h Jürg Zbinden: Le Grand Chalet de Rossinière, Témoignage Antoine Devenish – Propriétaire du Grand Chalet de 1951 à 1976, Éditions mo, 2004, pp. 32–33
  17. ^ www.parks.swiss, Netzwerk Schweizer Pärke, Bern. "Le Grand Chalet". www.parks.swiss. Retrieved 2025-02-20.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  18. ^ Société d'histoire de l'art en Suisse SHAS: Le Grand Chalet devient le symbole du « Swiss chalet », Guide artistique de la Suisse, Berne, tome 1, 2005 / tome 2, 2006 / tome 3, 2006 / tome 4a, 2011 / tome 4b, 2012
  19. ^ English Heritage: The Swiss Cottage at Osborne House, retrieved 2025
  20. ^ A. David Mills: A Dictionary of London Place Names, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001, pp. 222–223
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  22. ^ Michael van Orsouw: Switzerland and the House of Windsor, Blog Swiss National Museum, published 1 June 2022, modified 12 May 2025
  23. ^ a b c d L'Art de Vivre à la Montagne: « J'ai trouvé ici ma géométrie secrète » – Petite histoire d'un « Grand chalet » mystérieux et unique, celui du peintre Balthus à Rossinière, article par Marie-Christine Hugonot, 9 octobre 2021 (visite 21 mars 2012)
  24. ^ a b c d e Setsuko Klossowska de Rola: The Grand Chalet: An interview with Setsuko, Gagosian Quarterly, 2 September 2023
  25. ^ a b c d e Elisabeth Chardon: At the Grand Chalet in Rossinière – Balthus's family continues to make art. Discover the history of this exceptional building, nestled in a Swiss alpine valley, Art Basel, 30 August 2024, first publication 23 June 2023, retrieved 2025
  26. ^ Sabine Rewald: Balthus, Harry N Abrams Inc., New York, 1984, p. 51
  27. ^ Prince Stash de Rola: Castello di Montecalvello, This isn't just a tour; it's an invitation into a world of fantasy, alchemy and art, retrieved 2025
  28. ^ L’Art de Vivre à la Montagne: La montagne vue par…Ines de la Fressange – Les délicieux souvenirs de ses Noëls au Grand chalet du peintre Balthus, article par Marie-Christine Hugonot, 2021
  29. ^ a b c Caroline Micaela Hauger: Balthus' Witwe zeigt das Zuhause des grossen Künstlers – Ausstellung in der Fondation Beyeler, Schweizer Illustrierte, 11. September 2018
  30. ^ James Imam: Mystery over Agnelli dynasty's missing art – Balthus's Nude Profile (1973-77) and La Chambre (1952-54), The Art Newspaper, 4 December 2023
  31. ^ David Bowie: The Last Legendary Painter – The full interview, conducted by David Bowie at the Grand Chalet, Modern Painters, 1994, pp. 14–33
  32. ^ David Bowie: The Last Legendary Painter, Balthus with David Bowie – the interview at the Grand Chalet, Modern Painters, VII/3 - Volume 7 - Number 3, Autumn 1994, pp. 14–33
  33. ^ Tom Hagler: David Bowie the journalist: How he landed a huge interview but missed the scoop, Press Gazette – Future of Media, published 8 October 2021, updated 30 September 2022
  34. ^ Mieke Bal (2008). Balthus: Works and Interviews. Distributed Art Pub Incorporated. p. 156. ISBN 978-84-343-1165-7.
  35. ^ Harding, Graham (2005). A wine miscellany: a jaunt through the whimsical world of wine. New York: Clarkson Potter. p. 59. ISBN 0307346358.
  36. ^ Berger, Dan (28 December 1995). "NEWS : Wine's Label Will Be Bare, but Not Nude : Values: Napa residents object to Balthus drawing on a Mouton '93 Bordeaux. Winery deletes it for U.S. imports". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 12 October 2022.
  37. ^ a b c d SWI – Swissinfo: Celebrities turn out to bid Balthus farewell, The Swiss voice in the world since 1935, Swissinfo and agencies, 24 February 2001
  38. ^ a b c SWI – Swissinfo: Maler Balthus gestorben, The Swiss voice in the world since 1935, Swissinfo and agencies, 18 February 2001
  39. ^ SWI – Swissinfo: La mort du Comte de Rossinière, La voix de la Suisse dans le monde depuis 1935, Bernard Léchot, 19 février 2001
  40. ^ Getty Images: Jacques et Bernadette Chirac avec Balthus et Setsuko au Palais de l'Élysée, Xavier Rossi, janvier 1997
  41. ^ Répulique Française – Vie publique: Allocution de M. Jacques Chirac, Président de la République, sur les relations diplomatiques, culturelles et économiques franco-suisses, Berne le 28 octobre 1998, récupéré 2025
  42. ^ François Nordmann: A propos de Jacques Chirac et de la Suisse, Le Temps, 30 septembre 2019, récupéré 2025
  43. ^ Getty Images: Funeral of the artist Balthus: Victor Emmanuel of Savoy with his wife, 24 February 2001
  44. ^ Holger Christmann: Der Maler Balthus ist tot, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 19. Februar 2001
  45. ^ Setsuko Klossowska de Rola, Nicolas Bideau, Florence Graezer Bideau, Dieter A. Borer: Lunch-Gespräche im Grand Chalet, Rossinière, 12. Oktober 2018
  46. ^ a b Platforme 10 – Musée Cantonal des Baux-Arts, Lausanne: Balthus (Balthasar Klossowski de Rola, dit) : Le Roi des chats, 1935, Don de la Fondation Balthus Klossowski de Rola, 2016, récupéré 2025
  47. ^ Thadée Klossowski de Rola: Thadée Klossowski de Rola, son of Balthus, Balthus's son on the relationship between Balthus and cats, Fondation Beyeler, 12 December 2018
  48. ^ Raphaël Bouvier: Balthus: Le Roi des chats, Interview mit dem Kurator Raphaël Bouvier, Fondation Beyeler, 19. Dezember 2018
  49. ^ Sacha Verna: Der König der Katzen und Kinder, Deutschlandfunk, 28. September 2013, abgerufen 2025

Further reading

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In alphabetical order

  • Gero von Boehm (Vorwort) / Kishin Shinoyama (Fotografien): Balthus – Das Haus des Malers, Schirmer/Mosel, München, 2007
  • Raphaël Bouvier (Hrsg.), Sam Keller, Michiko Kono: Balthus, Fondation Beyeler, 2018
  • Alain Vircondelet: Les Chats de Balthus, Flammarion, Paris, 2000
  • Jürg Zbinden: Le Grand Chalet de Rossinière, Éditions mo, 2004
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Media related to Category:Grand Chalet Rossinière at Wikimedia Commons

46°27′57″N 7°05′04″E / 46.46583°N 7.08444°E / 46.46583; 7.08444

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