On 22 June 1476, the Swiss Confederates and their allies triumphed over the troops of the Burgundian Duke Charles the Bold (1433–1477) at Murten. Over four centuries later, in 1893, the Panoramagesellschaft Zürich enlisted Germany’s foremost panorama painter, Louis Braun (1836–1916), to capture the heat of this historic battle in a sweeping circular painting.
Impression of Louis Braun’s studio at the time of the panorama’s creation
At the time, panoramas attracted large audiences and generated significant revenue. Braun completed the extensive painting—100 metres long and 10 metres wide—within a year. Shortly after, starting in August 1894, the Panoramagesellschaft Zürich showcased ‘The Battle of Murten’ in a dedicated rotunda at the Utoquai.
Picture: Bernisches Historisches Museum
Louis Braun took a very thorough approach. He carried out extensive archival and source research. The panorama, therefore, reads like a reporter’s on-the-spot report. The panorama primarily captures the decisive moment of the battle. The Swiss surround the panicked Burgundian army.
Picture: Bernisches Historisches Museum
The panorama’s debut was a sensation. Switzerland itself was not yet fifty years united (1848). The nation had just celebrated the 700th anniversary of the Rütli (1891), and had enshrined its unique democracy in the constitution (1874 and 1891).
Replica from the Bern Historical Museum
The timing, however, was unfortunate: the advent of photography and, shortly afterwards, the first films meant that the panorama as a medium quickly became obsolete. Following this, the rotunda was demolished, and the panorama was transported to Murten in three sections. The canvas was not displayed to the public again until 2002, at the national exhibition Expo. 02.
One of the three canvases
The so-called Monolith, a metal cube placed in Lake Murten, formed the backdrop. The installation consisted of a panorama comprising three stacked sections that visually connected the lake, promenade, medieval town, and battlefield.
This panorama was later shown in a video montage at the Murten History Museum and is now presented by the Bern Historical Museum (Murten Ausgeslachtet) in this context.
Details of the 100-metre-long and ten-metre-high panorama
While it is unlikely that this captivating panorama will again be shown permanently in a rotunda, visitors to this exhibition can still gain a rich understanding of its origins and historical significance.
Martin Martini (1565-1610), the battle at Murten, after a lost work by Heinrich Bichler (1466-1497), in the city hall of Freiburg. Collection: Bernisches Historisches Museum
Moreover, it is perhaps no coincidence that it is in Switzerland that most of the panoramas of this medium, so popular in the 19th century, have been preserved in rotundas: in Einsiedeln (The Crucifixion of Christ), Thun (Wocher Panorama of the City of Thun) and Lucerne (Bourbaki Panorama).
A small part of the ‘Burgundian spoils
Collection: Bernisches Historisches Museum