ETHEU 100341

charlette/décor de vache

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100341
Animal finery known as ‘charlette’, chiètre, or cherlaz
Vercorin, Valais, Switzerland.
Circa 1940.
Painted wood.
Height: 44 cm.
Width: 26 cm.
Depth: 18.5 cm.
The Georges Amoudruz Collection, acquired in 1976.
ETHEU 100341
Geolocate the object
In the Valais, Gruyère, Pays-d’Enhaut, Appenzell and Toggenbourg regions, husbandry activities were organised around two seasonal migrations, which were started and finished by the herd’s movements to and from the mountain pastures. The descent from the mountain pastures was a key phase in managing the livestock, but it was also a time for festivities and rituals. The finest dairy cows were given the distinction of wearing the charlette, a sort of helmet or diadem that was placed between the neck and the horns. This ornamentation served to give the animal an identity and provide some protection on the paths leading from the mountain pastures to the plains. It was often made from an inverted milking pail, which was then adorned with unique decorations. At the end of each summer, the charlettes were worked on and painted by the shepherds in honour of the most hardy, beautiful, or hardworking cow. Each winter, once the animals had returned to their stables, the charlette was thrown away or burned.

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The balance of work

There was little machinery in preindustrial Europe and the societies shared the same work ethic based on individual responsibility and community solidarity. In these agricultural and artisanal communities, the body – human and animal – was the first and sometimes the only tool available: its skill and dependability were key assets in a precarious economy. Knowing how to economise and use its strength led to a sense of well being.

The music of the animals

Although the beginning of the practice is hard to date, hanging bells around the animals' necks helped locate and organise the herds and flocks. The shepherd or herdsman marked the identity of the animal in terms of size, gait and importance in the flock through the bell he hung around its neck. A characteristic sound can be attributed to all the beasts, not just to the leaders. The procession creates a halo of sound which keeps the animals together and in order. It is not simply a matter of making a noise, but of composing a recognisable ensemble that is agreeable to the ear. Putting the flock into harmony with the landscape or when it crosses a village is a prestigious skill perfected over many years.

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