The peak that hides the mountain

Oil on canvas, Gabriel Loppé
Undated

Clusius' leopard's-bane (Doronicum clusii); Scheuchzer's cottongrass (Eriophorum scheuchzeri); Alpine saw-wort (Saussurea alpina); Edelweiss (Leontopodium alpinum).

Simon Dumas Primbault interviewed by Sophie Iselin

Simon Dumas Primbault interviewed by Sophie Iselin

It is in the middle of a gorge, between rocks and a beautiful waterfall, that we started our hike. This water, which I had suspected for a long time to come from the Buet glacier, is called the water of Berard, from the name of the mountain from which it descends. We followed its banks for more than an hour.

Marc-Théodore Bourrit, Description des aspects du Mont-Blanc du côté de la Val-d’Aost (1776), 125.

We walked with courage through the gorge called the Berard, going up the torrent that bears its name: it is wild, especially in the upper part, which does not deprive it of greenery, of pastures, although they are surrounded by the debris of mountains.

Marc-Théodore Bourrit, Itinéraire de Genève, des glaciers de Chamouni, du Valais et du canton de Vaud (1808), 107.

Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper

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Mushrooms of the Bérard valley, seen between the Bérard waterfall and the Cold Fountain.

Simon Dumas Primbault interviewed by Sophie Iselin

Peaks
Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper
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Bérard Valley, Pass, and Peak
Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper
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Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper

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Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper

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Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper
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Laura Piveteau interviewed by Sophie Iselin

Roxane Moinat interviewed at the refuge by Sophie Iselin

Roxane Moinat and Laura Piveteau interviewed at the refuge by Sophie Iselin

Ruins of the first refuge of the valley, destroyed in the 1950s by an avalanche.

Ibex seen near the Pierre à Bérard refuge.

Alphonse Favre Peak and glacier of the dead
Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper
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Towards Mont Buet
Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper
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Protogine from Mont Oreb with a sulphide lead and zinc vein. Sample from the Collection of rocks of Horace Bénédict de Saussure.

Credit: Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève

Rumex alpinus in front of Beugeant Pass
Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper
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Around the Pierre à Bérard Refuge
Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper
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Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper

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Veined granite from Mont Buet. Sample from the Collection of rocks of Horace Bénédict de Saussure

Credit: Muséum d'histoire naturelle de Genève

We climbed for nearly four hours, by roads where we were often obliged to help ourselves with our hands, and often also to use precaution when we wanted to look behind. However the impatience to see what these rocks hid from us, helping us to overcome these obstacles, we finally arrived at their summit. But what was our surprise and our chagrin, when we saw ourselves at the top of the most terrible precipice, by which we found ourselves separated from this summit which we sought!

We remained for a long time motionless with admiration as much as with fear. The Mont Blanc presented itself to our eyes in all its majesty; I do not exagerate, it is the feeling that it inspires. The very precipice which stopped our course, was majestic. Let us imagine a depth of more than 4000 feet, surrounded by sheer rocks, & in which it seemed that a few steps ahead would precipitate us: this idea can only be frightening; but the eyes, after having stopped on these rocks with fear, rested pleasantly at the bottom of the precipice. A happy pasture, dotted with barns and surrounded by woods, softened the horror of these places, of which the waterfalls which rushed there from the top of the rocks, disturbed only the silence; the roars of the herds could not reach us. When we could occupy ourselves with something other than with objects so new to us, although accustomed to the mountains, we showed our guides, in spite of ourselves, the summit where we wanted to go: but it was no longer time.  Half of the day had already passed and although it seemed to us that by turning the precipice to the left, we could reach it, the enterprise was too long and too risky for what remained of the day.

Jean-André Deluc, Recherches sur les modifications de l’atmosphère (1772), II, 297. 

Chamois Peak
Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper
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Descent towards the Refuge
Watercolor and Indian Ink on Paper
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Ibex seen near the Salenton pass.

After two hours of continuous hiking, but not too accelerated, we arrive at the foot of a rock, whose base presents natural seats, which seem to invite the traveler to rest there. Mr. Bourrit, who dined there on his first trip, left his name on it; the guides call this place the Cantor's Table [after Bourrit who was cantor at the cathedral of Geneva]. These rocks are still of the same veined granite.

Horace Bénédict Saussure, Voyages dans les Alpes (1779), I, 478.

Bérard Pass and Breach
Watercolor and Indian Ink on Papier
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Ascent to Buet towards Salenton Pass
 

Veined limestone from Mont Buet. Sample from the Collection of rocks of Horace Bénédict de Saussure

Limestone with spath vein. Sample from the Collection of rocks of Horace Bénédict de Saussure.

Oil on canvas, Gabriel Loppé (1825-1913)
Undated
Collection: Amis du Vieux Chamonix

This plate was intended to give an idea of the view of the mountains that one discovers from the top of Buet. The spectator is supposed to be placed in the center of the figure, and all the objects are drawn in perspective around this center, as they present themselves to an eye situated in this same center, and which makes successively the turn of all its horizon. [...]

According to the method I have used, the draftsman paints the objects exactly as he sees them, turning his paper as he turns himself, and those who, according to his work, want to form an idea of the objects he has drawn, have only to imagine that they are placed in the center of the drawing, to enlarge by imagination what they see above this center, and by turning the drawing, to survey all its parts. They thus see successively all the objects linked together, & entirely as they present themselves to an observer situated on the top of the mountain.

My aim was to give this kind of drawing an almost geometrical accuracy. I wanted the Draughtsman to begin by tracing on his paper a large circle, to which he would give the name of horizontal circle; that he would place on the circumference of this circle, all the visible points which would be exactly at the level of his eye; that he would draw outside this circle the objects situated above his horizon; & inside, all those which would be below this same horizon.

Horace Bénédict Saussure, Voyages dans les Alpes (1779), I, 496-498.

Hans Conrad Escher von der Linth

C. 1790–1810
Watercolour and ink on laid paper 21,2×18,5 cm

Graphische Sammlung ETH Zurich

Photo studio Jullien Frères

Jérôme Baudry interviewed by Sophie Iselin

Jérôme Baudry interviewed by Sophie Iselin

Stéphane Fischer interviewed by Sophie Iselin

Victoire Kezeu interviewed by Sophie Iselin

Neethu Kizhakkedom interviewed on the summit by Sophie Iselin