Bashkirtseff
Orig | CZ

Pension Huberkoller (Geneva)

Basic Aktualizováno: 2025-12-07

Research Status: Basic Last Updated: 2025-12-07 Diary Coverage: Book 00 (1884 preface)

Identity

Pension Huberkoller was a family boarding house (pension de famille) in Geneva where the Bashkirtseff family stayed in 1870 after initially lodging at the Hôtel de la Couronne. The pension had a spectacular view of Mont Blanc.

In Marie's Diary

Marie describes the pension and its significance in Book 00 (paragraph 00.44):

"A ce moment nous avions quitté l'hôtel de la Couronne pour loger dans une pension de famille, pension Huberkoller, et le Mont Blanc était en face de nous. J'ai donc copié scrupuleusement ce que je voyais de Genève et du lac et cela en est resté là, je ne sais plus pourquoi."

(At that moment we had left the hotel de la Couronne to lodge in a family boarding house, pension Huberkoller, and Mont Blanc was in front of us. So I scrupulously copied what I saw of Geneva and the lake and it stayed at that, I no longer know why.)

Key Features

Location and Views:

  • "Le Mont Blanc était en face de nous" (Mont Blanc was in front of us)
  • Direct view of Europe's highest mountain (4,808 meters)
  • View of Geneva and Lake Geneva
  • Positioned to see the dramatic Alpine scenery

Type of Establishment:

  • "Pension de famille" (family boarding house)
  • More economical than a hotel for extended stays
  • Provided room and board
  • Typical accommodation for families staying weeks or months

Significance for Marie's Artistic Development

The Pension Huberkoller played an important role in young Marie's early art education:

1. Natural View: The pension's spectacular Mont Blanc view provided subject matter 2. Drawing from Nature: Her drawing teacher encouraged her to draw the real view instead of copying artificial models 3. First Nature Study: Marie "scrupulously copied" what she saw of Geneva and the lake 4. Early Practice: This was her first attempt at drawing from observation rather than copying prints

Marie's account reveals frustration with conventional art instruction:

"On m'a donné un professeur de dessin qui a apporté des modèles à copier. De petits chalets où les fenêtres étaient dessinées commes des troncs d'arbres et qui ne ressemblaient pas aux vraies fenêtres des vrais chalets. Aussi je n'en ai pas voulu, ne comprenant pas qu'une fenêtre soit faite ainsi."

(They gave me a drawing teacher who brought models to copy. Little chalets where the windows were drawn like tree trunks and which didn't resemble the windows of real chalets. So I didn't want them, not understanding why a window should be made that way.)

This early insistence on realism over stylized convention foreshadowed Marie's later commitment to naturalistic art.

Historical Context

Pensions de Famille in 1870s Geneva

Family boarding houses (pensions de famille) in Geneva during this period:

  • Provided accommodation for families staying weeks, months, or years
  • More affordable than hotels for extended stays
  • Offered meals, housekeeping, and family atmosphere
  • Popular with expatriate families, refugees, and those seeking European education
  • Often run by Swiss families as small businesses

The Franco-Prussian War Context

The Bashkirtseff family's move from hotel to pension suggests:

  • Extended stay in Geneva due to the ongoing war (July 1870-May 1871)
  • Economic prudence (pensions cost less than hotels)
  • Desire for more stable, home-like environment
  • Uncertain timeline for return to normal travel patterns

Mont Blanc from Geneva

The fact that Pension Huberkoller had a direct view of Mont Blanc (63 km away) indicates:

  • Elevated position or strategic location
  • Clear sightlines to the Alps
  • Desirable real estate for a pension
  • Attractive selling point for guests

The Name "Huberkoller"

The name suggests German or Swiss-German origins, typical for boarding house proprietors in Geneva. However, no historical records of this specific establishment have been located in online archives, possibly because:

  • Small private pensions left limited documentation
  • The business may have closed or changed names
  • Historical records from 1870 are not fully digitized
  • The spelling might vary in official records

Why It Mattered

For young Marie (around 11 years old in 1870), Pension Huberkoller represented:

  • A stable home during wartime displacement
  • First serious attempt at drawing from nature
  • Beautiful surroundings that inspired artistic observation
  • A formative moment in her artistic development

Related Entries

%%2025-12-07T17:30:00 RSR: Created entry based on Book 00, paragraph 00.44. The pension's Mont Blanc view inspired Marie's first attempt at drawing from nature rather than copying stylized models.%%