To say that Margherita de Pahlen is a discreet personality is an understatement, an euphemism … Encountering her in the Gstaad region is quite rare, as her character is marked by a natural, atavistic reserve that is deeply rooted in her. It is therefore quite an achievement that she agreed to answer our questions and, even more so, to welcome us into her home, the famous Château de Rougemont, which adjoins the temple of the same name. An exclusive interview in which painting and philosophical reflections vie with the beauty of the surrounding landscape.

You have been living at Château Rougemont for over ten years. What made you choose this location?
I would almost say that Rougemont chose me rather than the other way around. After searching for a residence for 20 years and then this château came along and enchanted us! It is a very peaceful, protective place, opposite the Videmanette, which is not at all oppressive, contrary to what one might think. The view from here is superb and constantly changes colours, a dream for anyone who loves to paint! The silence is also very soothing.

What customs and traditions in this region appeal to you?
I have known the region since my teens, as I used to visit friends who were studying at finishing schools here. I cherish its traditions, paper cutting – these flowers and other landscapes created by wonderfully skilled artists – local crafts, the poyas, village life, all those cowbells tinkling in a joyful whirlwind, seeing the cattle frolic, feeling the start of life in the mountain pastures, far from the concrete buildings, it’s really another reality for me. Rougemont seems to me to be the border between the “pays d’en-bas” and the Pays-d’Enhaut: a very poetic world that lends itself to storytelling, scenes from everyday life, which can also be found in the paper cutting. Always at the centre is the family, a theme very dear to me. Similarly, when I go to the village, everything is authentic: from the cheese to the cheesemaker! The people and products are both very welcoming in their authenticity. On a more personal note, I don’t like living in cities – I run away from them.

I love the pace of life and the beauty here. We try to stay around as often as possible: in autumn, at Christmas, in spring, in August, etc. Rougemont, Saanen and Gstaad are wonderful places to relax and slow down. My family, children and grandchildren also love coming here. The region offers a wide range of activities for all ages. These include cycling, horse riding, hiking and walking in nature, sometimes with a guide, for a whole day.

What are your fondest memories of this place?
The lockdown period! We finally had

time to rediscover a simple and healthy lifestyle, and to enjoy painting and being in nature, opening our eyes and our “wings”. We experienced this as a gift, and were grateful to be able to contemplate these magnificent landscapes.

Which places inspire you as a painter?
The Pays-d’Enhaut and Saanenland regions are a festival of colour! The beginning of spring fascinates me, greener than green, not to mention the sparkling autumn, when in November the landscape is adorned with a gradient of yellow, red and orange leaves, even if there are no longer many people around to admire it. In fact, the valleys, mountains and sublime skies appeal to me, allowing me the joy of contemplation throughout the year. What variety! The magnificent red mountains that gave the commune its name (Rubeimontis, Rogemont, Rubeo monte, Rogo mons and finally Rojomont in 1270, editor’s note) bear witness to the layers of red flysch outcropping on the slopes.

Indeed, these mountains glow crimson at two times of the day: at sunset and at sunrise. When I first saw them, I knew I had to paint them, as a way of saying thank you, of sharing this wonder with others, and fixing it in eternity. I love admiring this everchanging panorama: ten minutes later, everything is different.

In almost all of your paintings, there is a sense of wild, luminous, contagious joie de vivre!
How does painting in our region influence your perspective?
This sublime region has inspired me to paint different landscapes and explore other languages. Rather than the lake speaking to me, it is now the mountains. Here, humans coexist with nature in every direction. They have a small place reserved for them, but not all the space. If I listened to myself, I would paint all day long, but I willingly let my grandchildren distract me. They are growing up so quickly that it is important to show them the beauty of the world around them. In fact, one of my daughters* and one of my granddaughters have inherited this passion for painting. My granddaughter never stops creating and painting, and we share these moments of happiness together. These exchanges are very stimulating for both of us.

When we hear you talking about it, painting seems like such a cathartic act!
Indeed, in the morning, I get up, make myself a cup of coffee and then I’m straight into “painting mode”. For me, it’s like a second nature that lives within me and needs to express itself. I love the challenge! When you’re faced with a breathtaking landscape, you want to capture it as best you can. It also puts things into perspective considering the Creation: how splendid are those singing birds or those ducks on the lake, everything is so peacefully in its place, not to mention the mountains! It is important to preserve this balance as much as possible. I don’t always have control over what I’m going to draw. What interests me is the collaboration between myself and the painting, which comes to life and reveals things to me. I don’t decide everything. The canvas responds in terms of tones and shapes, as if it wants to say something. Sometimes I leave it to rest for days or weeks, but usually I complete the painting in one go.

You have several hundred paintings to your credit. How did this passion come about?
Even as a child, I loved to draw. I then worked in a studio in Rome with a restorer who taught me different painting techniques. After that, I went to Paris to study iconography with two priests, one Russian and one Greek, which gave me an insight into two pictorial cultures. Finally, I started with watercolours about thirty years ago and moved on to oil painting. I still do tempera paintings sometimes, but they take longer. In fact, I feel bad if I go months without working. I try to be as disciplined as possible, spending at least two hours on my work each day …

To conclude, who are your favourite artists?
Oh dear, that’s going to be a long list! To name but a few, Gustav Klimt, Paul Gauguin, Sandro Botticelli, Edvard Munch, Paul Klee, Édouard Manet, Claude Monet and finally Ferdinand Hodler. This fabulous Swiss painter produced such beautiful paintings of Lake Geneva and Lake Thun! I love his use of colour, which reminds me of Greece, with its turquoise and emerald hues!

SASKIA VON ALTISHOFEN

*Tatiana de Pahlen studied at ECAL in Lausanne and shared Margherita de Pahlen’s studio for several years. She now works at the Gagosian Gallery in Gstaad.

If you are interested in Margherita de Pahlen’s work, please contact: Galerie Le Foyer | info@antiquiteslefoyer.ch

All photos are by Griet van Malderen, best known for photographing some of Africa's most elusive wildlife. Here she has captured an equally private subject, painter Margherita de Pahlen in her home at Rougemont Castle.

Rougemont Castle
The current castle stands on the site of a former Cluniac monastery founded in the 11th century. This monastery included a priory and the Church of Saint-Nicolas-de-Myre, which is now known as the temple of Rougemont. Around 1073, the site was generously donated to the monks of Cluny by Count Wilaire I of Gruyère. Construction of the Monastery of Saint-Nicolas de Rougemont was completed around 1080 between the Flendruz and Griesbach streams. By the beginning of the 14th century, the influence and wealth of the Counts of Gruyère had diminished to such an extent that, in 1555, faced with mounting debt, Count Michel was forced to hand over the church and cloister of Rougemont to the Bernese bailiffs. On 25 December 1555, after 475 years of Cluniac history, the monks left the premises for good. Only the church remains, while the current castle was built at the end of the 16th century on the site of the cloister and convent buildings to house the Bernese bailiff. Partly rebuilt in 1755–1758, the castle was declared national property in 1798, then passed into private hands. It underwent major restoration and reconstruction after a fire in 1974–1975.