“The first day was spent getting used to things. “After all, every man needs to have a place to go to” and the Deserter did not want to walk any further.”
JEAN GIONO
Le Déserteur © Gallimard
In central Valais, the Deserter never stayed long in one place. He had no known settled home, he walked the pathways, he quickly fled a village as soon as he had painted one or two pictures. Was it fear of the police? Fear of disturbing someone? Fear of…?
Every picture features the name of the saint depicted, shown here are St Mary and St Elizabeth.
PATOIS
Nendaz family names. Atchyon, Borcâ, Daryôe, Dayè, Déeyje, Dzîlo, Fële, Foonî, Fourni, Fragnëre, Hléya, Lachey, Martinô, Metseë, Oûe, Tsarbonë, …
Lathion, Broccard, Darioli ou Darioly, Dayer, Délèze, Gillioz, Filliez, Follonier, Fournier, Fragnière, Claivaz, Glassey, Martignoni, Michelet, Loye, Charbonnet, …
What medium was mostly used by The Deserter?
Ste MARIE, Mother of God.
Ste ELISABETH, Queen of Portugal.
23 February 1863. C.F.B.
32 x 24 cm. © Robert Hofer, Sion
Have you ever spent the night outdoors under a starry sky? Where was it? Was it in a tent?