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impress the visitor who is familiar with this class of art as coming
from a man of extraordinary dramatic power and command over the
almost impossible art of composing many figures together effectively
in all…round sculpture。 Whether all the figures are even now as
Tabachetti left them I cannot determine； but Mr。 Selwyn has restored
Simon the Cyrenian to the position in which he obviously ought to
stand； and between us we have got the chapel into something more
like order。
10。 The Crucifixion。 This subject was treated at Varallo not by
Tabachetti but by Gaudenzio Ferrari。 It confirms therefore my
opinion as to the designer of the Saas chapels to find in them no
trace of the Varallo Crucifixion； while the kind of tunic which at
Varallo is only found in chapels wherein Tabachetti worked again
appears here。 The work is in a deplorable state of decay。 Mr。
Selwyn has greatly improved the arrangement of the figures； but even
now they are not； I imagine； quite as Tabachetti left them。 The
figure of Christ is greatly better in technical execution than that
of either of the two thieves； the folds of the drapery alone will
show this even to an unpractised eye。 I do not think there can be a
doubt but that Tabachetti cut this figure himself； as also those of
the Magdalene and St。 John； who stand at the foot of the cross。 The
thieves are coarsely executed； with no very obvious distinction
between the penitent and the impenitent one； except that there is a
fiend painted on the ceiling over the impenitent thief。 The one
horse introduced into the composition is again of the heavy Flemish
type adopted by Tabachetti at Varallo。 There is great difference in
the care with which the folds on the several draperies have been
cut； some being stiff and poor enough； while others are done very
sufficiently。 In spite of smallness of scale； ignoble material；
disarrangement and decay； the work is still striking。
11。 The Resurrection。 There being no chapel at Varallo with any of
the remaining subjects treated at Saas； the sculptor has struck out
a line for himself。 The Christ in the Resurrection Chapel is a
carefully modelled figure； and if better painted might not be
ineffective。 Three soldiers； one sleeping； alone remain。 There
were probably other figures that have been lost。 The sleeping
soldier is very pleasing。
12。 The Ascension is not remarkably interesting； the Christ appears
to be； but perhaps is not； a much more modern figure than the rest。
18。 The Descent of the Holy Ghost。 Some of the figures along the
end wall are very good； and were； I should imagine； cut by
Tabachetti himself。 Those against the two side walls are not so
well cut。
14。 The Assumption of the Virgin Mary。 The two large cherubs here
are obviously by a later hand； and the small ones are not good。 The
figure of the Virgin herself is unexceptionable。 There were
doubtless once other figures of the Apostles which have disappeared；
of these a single St。 Peter （？）； so hidden away in a corner near the
window that it can only be seen with difficulty； is the sole
survivor。
15。 The Coronation of the Virgin is of later date； and has probably
superseded an earlier work。 It can hardly be by the designer of the
other chapels of the series。 Perhaps Tabachetti had to leave for
Crea before all the chapels at Saas were finished。
Lastly； we have the larger chapel dedicated to St。 Mary； which
crowns the series。 Here there is nothing of more than common
artistic interest； unless we except the stone altar mentioned in
Ruppen's chronicle。 This is of course classical in style； and is； I
should think； very good。
Once more I must caution the reader against expecting to find
highly…finished gems of art in the chapels I have been describing。
A wooden figure not more than two feet high clogged with many coats
of paint can hardly claim to be taken very seriously； and even those
few that were cut by Tabachetti himself were not meant to have
attention concentrated on themselves alone。 As mere wood…carving
the Saas…Fee chapels will not stand comparison； for example； with
the triptych of unknown authorship in the Church of St。 Anne at
Gliss； close to Brieg。 But； in the first place； the work at Gliss
is worthy of Holbein himself： I know no wood…carving that can so
rivet the attention； moreover it is coloured with water…colour and
not oil； so that it is tinted； not painted； and； in the second
place； the Gliss triptych belongs to a date （1519） when artists held
neither time nor impressionism as objects； and hence； though greatly
better than the Saas…Fee chapels as regards a certain Japanese
curiousness of finish and naivete of literal transcription； it
cannot even enter the lists with the Saas work as regards elan and
dramatic effectiveness。 The difference between the two classes of
work is much that between； say； John Van Eyck or Memling and Rubens
or Rembrandt； or； again； between Giovanni Bellini and Tintoretto；
the aims of the one class of work are incompatible with those of the
other。 Moreover； in the Gliss triptych the intention of the
designer is carried out （whether by himself or no） with admirable
skill； whereas at Saas the wisdom of the workman is rather of Ober…
Ammergau than of the Egyptians； and the voice of the poet is not a
little drowned in that of his mouthpiece。 If； however； the reader
will bear in mind these somewhat obvious considerations； and will
also remember the pathetic circumstances under which the chapels
were designedfor Tabachetti when he reached Saas was no doubt
shattered in body and mind by his four years' imprisonmenthe will
probably be not less attracted to them than I observed were many of
the visitors both at Saas…Grund and Saas…Fee with whom I had the
pleasure of examining them。
I will now run briefly through the other principal works in the
neighbourhood to which I think the reader would be glad to have his
attention directed。
At Saas…Fee itself the main altar…piece is without interest； as also
one with a figure of St。 Sebastian。 The Virgin and Child above the
remaining altar are； so far as I remember them； very good； and
greatly superior to the smaller figures of the same altar…piece。
At Almagel； an hour's walk or so above Saas…Grunda village； the
name of which； like those of the Alphubel； the Monte Moro； and more
than one other neighbouring site； is supposed to be of Saracenic
originthe main altar…piece represents a female saint with folded
arms being beheaded by a vigorous man to the left。 These two
figures are very good。 There are two somewhat inferior elders to
the right； and the composition is crowned by the Assumption of the
Virgin。 I like the work； but have no idea who did it。 Two bishops
flanking the composition are not so good。 There are two other
altars in the church： the right…hand one has some pleasing figures；
not so the left…hand。
In St。 Joseph's Chapel； on the mule…road between Saas…Grund and
Saas…Fee； the St。 Joseph and the two children are rather nice。 In
the churches and chapels which I looked into between Saas and
Stalden； I saw many florid extravagant altar…pieces； but nothing
that impr