Zermatt mural honours first woman to climb Matterhorn

Swiss-Tunisian artist Jasm One has paid tribute to Lucy Walker, the first female climber to conquer the Matterhorn 150 years ago, and to all female climbers. His mural, inaugurated this week, can be seen in the heart of the Swiss mountain resort of Zermatt.

The 18-metre-high work is opposite the train station and welcomes visitors. In the foreground is a blue triangle symbolising the Matterhorn and climbing. Inside the triangle is an archive image of Walker during her exploit.

In the background, the fresco shows a faceless woman wearing a dress and leather gloves and carrying a mountaineering rope over her shoulder.

The title of the work, No peak rise above her, appears in the middle of the mural. The phrase refers to a poem dedicated to Walker’s achievement.

Jasm One (real name Issam Rezgui) said that through Walker he also wanted to highlight “the problem of melting glaciers and the need for humanity to change its behaviour in the face of climate challenges”.

On July 22, 1871, 35-year-old British mountaineer Lucy Walker made climbing history. Six years after her compatriot Edward Whymper, she reached the peak of the iconic Matterhorn.