Dear Claire,
I list below four churches in Denmark with wall paintings showing the
Harrowing if Hell in which Adam is identified.
I suggest that you look at "W. O. Hassell, ed. Holkham Bible Picture Book.
London: Dropmore Press, 1954". This work appeared in England c.1100 and is
what the title says, the Bible in pictures.
If you read Latin, perhaps the "Pictor in Carmine" M. R. James, "Pictor in
Carmine", Archaeologia, XCIV, (1951), 141-66 might contain information. This
appeared in England about the same time as the Holkham manuscript. The
author lists, in Latin, his opinion of the proper ancillary themes to themes
from the New Testament. Perhaps he mentions the Resurrection of Adam. I
cannot read Latin, so I can not say anything further.
The numbers in this material are the numbers of the slides in the
Mills-Kronborg Collection.
I hope to have images of the Harrowing of Hell posted on ORB in one or two
months, I am working on that at the moment.
ESTRUPLUND. c.1542. 7-102. Harrowing of Hell. Sect 2, south arch. Left,
Christ, with cross nimbus, showing wounds in hands and feet, vexillum in
left hand, right outstretched to Adam. Adam, hands palms together in prayer,
right leg out of mouth of Hell, left leg still in. Eve behind Adam. Right,
Hell mouth which resembles whale's mouth. Upper right, tower with flames and
smoke coming from all openings.
HJEMBAEK. c.1475. 11-85. Harrowing of Hell. Sect 2, south arch. Center,
Christ, with cross nimbus, showing wounds in hands, side and feet, vexillum
in right hand, left hand takes Adam's hand as he comes from Hell. Scroll
above. <i>Signantem cristum puerum pater immolat istum</I>. Devil sits in
opening in top of Hell. Right and left, torsos in caylx, with scrolls, left
illegible, right, <i>Ut vis Samsonis destruxit ora</I>.
MOERKOEV. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. 17-64. Harrowing of Hell. Sect 2, east
arch, right pendentive. Left, Hell mouth, center, Adam and Eve emerge,
Adam's right hand in Christ's left. Right, Christ, with cross nimbus and
crown of thorns, bleeding from hands, side and feet, vexillum in left hand,
right hand holding Adam's left.
SVAERDBORG c.1375-1400. 23-46. Harrowing of Hell. Sect 1, north arch. Top,
harrowing of Hell. Left, Christ, with nimbus, vexillum in left hand, right
hand held out to Adam who stands in the mouth of Hell. Left, Crucifixion.
Left, figure in sorrow. Center, Christ, with nimbus and crown of thorns,
bleeding from head, hands, side and feet. Right, figure in sorrow. Right,
Resurrection. Christ, with nimbus, vexillum in left hand, showing wounds in
hands and feet, steps from tomb with left foot. Chalice left on ground.
Good hunting, Jim
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