Muldain (GR)

LOCATION, OBJECT
Hamlet of Muldain, community of Vaz/Obervaz, Canton of Grisons. Roman-Catholic church of St John the Baptist (Filialkirche Son Gion Battista), built 1673-77, as part of the Capuchin mission of Rhaetia; restored 1986-90. 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.1-12: Painted paneled portico with twelve emblems accompanying scenes of the lives of St Francis, Anthony, 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: 296-99; KF 2: 105; Graf 1974: 154-55, 165; Sonder 1998: 42-44; Batz 2004: 128-31.

Copyright note: Added 2012. All photos taken by the author, July 2012. Layout plan reproduced from Kdm GR 2: 298.

Layout plan (click to enlarge)Muldain_(GR)_files/layout_Muldain_1.jpg