Following an artist's tracks on snowshoes (translated and adapted
from a story by Sebastian Leicht in NZZ Online, January 15, 2004)
It's so cold that there's a crackle in the air as
I strap on my snowshoes outside the tourist bureau in Maloja. Soon we're off in the direction of the Val Forno. The
icy summit of the Piz de la Margna glistens in the steel blue sky. With every step I feel more comfortable on my snowshoes
and manage to keep up with my tour guide.
We follow a path named the Sentiero Segantini, after the painter Giovanni
Segantini, who lived and worked in this Italian-speaking region of the Upper Engadine Valley. In summer, the path is
popular with walkers who can visit the exact spots where Segantini painted the Alpine landscape. Along the way there are twelve
plaques, complete with photos of the late 19th century, marking these places, where one can compare the painted scene with
the natural one.
We pause for a few minutes at the spot where Segantini painted "la morte," one of three scenes in a large-scale
triptych (see image on left).
In the vicinity of Maloja, there are 70 kilometers of marked snowshoe trails winding
through a delightful natural landscape. It's wise to stay on these paths, not only to protect the fauna and flora, but
also for safety's sake. Beginners should venture out with a tour guide who will be well-versed in the local snow and
avalanche conditions.
Maloja itself is a congenial place, far from the commotion of the big ski resorts. One
can visit the Segantini Haus or a tower constructed by a French count in the late 19th century in hopes of turning Maloja
into an Alpine Monaco -- the scheme, fortunately, did not materialize. A relative of Segantini sponsors exhibits and
chamber music concerts in the Chiesa Bianca, formerly a church, and organ concerts and theatrical performance are staged in
the evangelical village church. Sports and culture under one roof!
For information about Giovanni Segantini.
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