Ferdinand Hodler

All the waters of the great valley, those of the clouds, the firn, the springs, the streams; those of the sawmills, the butcheries, the grey, the clear, all waters marry in a deep bed. Thus they lose their name. But they create a new one: the Rhône.

Born in the cries of the alpine springs do find those wild waters their peace in the murmur of the Rhône.

Later, near the mouth, the deep, cold water will run in an opaque smoothness. Nevertheless will the Rhône offer its cool escort, heir to its past mountainous violence, to the Léman.

Suddenly is the lake there, blue as a linen flower. Above, as white as a canvas, do float motionless clouds. During early spring days, when thunderstorms occur, when waters are high, then the wedding of the river and the lake is stormy.

Today, however, is everything quiet. There is neither wind nor waves. The Rhône sleeps in the depths. Only a light breeze - called a rebat in Vaudois dialect - caresses the melted pewter surface of the water, which trembles like beloved skin.

The breeze is a skilful watercolour painter. A first, brilliant stroke is applied to the horizon line. Then additional brushstrokes appear on the surface of the sea. Here the watercolour painter applies clear ink, there dark ink. Her brush borrows blue from the sky, finds grey and ochre in the mountains, grabs some soft green in the vineyard. Suddenly does she wipe it all out and starts again.

Léman's nuances are like music that is only composed in duration. Although the sky and the water offer us feelings of density and depth of field, attemps to express these feelings on paper are hopeless.

The colours of the world are like butterflies. Are they pinned down, do they die.

After André Guex. Mountaineer, sailor, secondary school teacher in Lausanne. 1904 - 1988. Look also at: Voiles et carènes, by him. Publisher: Editions 24-Heures, Lausanne, 1981.

Both pictures are from Ferndinand Hodler: le Léman depuis Chexbres, 1905. The first picture peers south-eastward at the break of dawn, second picture westward in the afternoon.