medieval-religion: Scholarly discussions of medieval religion and culture

Dear Shang-Ching Cheng,

This is a list of half of the wall paintings with images of devils in
medieval Denmark that I have in my collection. If you would like more
information on my collection, please write to me. My email address is

[log in to unmask]

I hope that you find these slides interesting.

Regards, Jim Mills


Noerre Alslev. c.1480. Elmelunde Workshop. (M-K 18-057) Dance of death. West
sect, west wall. Complete dance of death. From left, fragment of figure with
trumpet, figure in shroud holds right hand of crowned man, devil holds left
hand of crowned man and right hand of bishop, figure in shroud holds left
hand of bishop and right hand of well dressed man, devil holds left hand of
well dressed man and right hand of farmer.

Noerre Herlev. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. (M-K 18-084) Damned into Hell.
Sect 3, north arch. Left, group of damned, encircled by rope held by devil
blowing horn, including bishop, king, tonsured monk, lead to Hell. Center,
devil with wheelbarrow takes two souls to Hell, first, a woman, nude,
second, a tonsured monk falls from wheelbarrow. Right, flames issue from
Hell mouth, three heads peer out.

Noerre Tranders. c.1450-75. (M-K 18-131) Devil. Sect 3, south arch. Figure
with nimbus, sits writing in book while devil whispers in ear.

Ottestrup. c.1510. (M-K 19-014) Damned into Hell. Sect 1, south. Left, devil
with wooden leg carries damned soul, held upside down on back, by legs.
Center left, devil with bird's legs pushes wheelbarrow with soul toward
Hell. Upper left, devil rides soul towards hell. Right, souls enter Hell
mouth, Hell mouth crowded with heads including king, bishop and monk.

Ottestrup. c.1510. (M-K 19-018) Angel. Sect 1, south arch, top. Angel, with
nimbus, sword raised above head, threatens devil.

Ottestrup. c.1510. (M-K 19-019) Saved into Heaven. Sect 1, north arch. Left,
buildings of Heaven, with leaded windows and tile roof. Peter stands in
front, with nimbus, key in right hand, left hand outstretched. Center, crowd
of saved, including pope, bishop and king, ascend steps to Heaven. Right,
devil with wooden legs, carries soul, head down on back, held by legs.
Angel, sword lifted in right hand, threatening devil, left hand holds
devil's horn

Over Draaby. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. (M-K 19-070) Damned into Hell.
Belfry, west arch, far right. Devil with wheel barrow pushes soul to Hell.
Lower right, angel with trumpet.

Reerslev. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. (M-K 20-005) Massacre of the Innocents.
Sect 1, south arch. Left, devil stands behind Herod. Next, Herod, holding
scepter in both hands, sitting on throne. First soldier stabs child held in
right hand. Second soldier stabs child held in left hand. Second soldier
attacked by woman wielding distaff. Cradle between second soldier and woman.
Far right, building.

Skamstrup. c.1350. (M-K 21-037) St. Michael weighing souls. Sect 1, north
arch, left. Michael, scales in right hand. Devils try to weigh down one pan.

Skamstrup. c.1480. Isefjord Workshop. (M-K 21-052) St. Stephen. East arch.
Top row. Left, birth of Stephen, his mother sits in bed, Stephen is held by
servant, king looks in right. Center left, Stephen is taken by devil who has
left substitute in cradle. Right, figure, with nimbus and tiara, crozier in
left hand, book in right. Left, figure holds Stephen. Center, Stephen, nude,
with nimbus, is baptized by figure right. Right, figure with tiara and with
nimbus. Bottom row. Far left, Lawrence, before emperor. Left, poor
condition. Center, poor condition. Right, Lawrence flogged.

Skibby. c.1350. (M-K 21-108) Judgment. Choir, south arch. Christ, with cross
nimbus, lilies left, sword right, from mouth, scroll left, text. Ecce
benedicti. Scroll right from mouth, text. Ecce maledicti. Hands shoulder
high, palms out, bleeding, seated on a rainbow. Above Christ, an angel and
sun left, moon right. Upper left, angel with trumpet. Upper right, devil
with rake. Left, saved. Right, damned, many bleeding from wounds in body.

Skuldelev. c.1400. (M-K 21-150) Devil with antlers. Antlered devil, with
staff.

Saeby, Holbaek. c.1520. (M-K 23-071) Judgment. North chapel, east arch.
Christ, with cross nimbus, hands shoulder high, palms out, showing wounds in
hands, side and feet, seated on a rainbow, feet on orb of earth. Above,
right and left, an angel with scroll, text illegible. Left, BVM, with
nimbus, hands, palms together, in prayer. Lower left, buildings of Heaven,
Peter, with key, admits saved. Right, John B., with nimbus, hands, palms
together, in prayer, kneeling. Lower right, damned, chained in a group,
pulled into Hell mouth, in group, pope, king, bishop, monk. Devil carries
soul, by leg, hung upside down on back.

Saeby, Vendsyssel. c.1500. (M-K 23-100) Morality. Sect 2, west arch. Death
of the man who lusted after woman. Left, a devil seizes soul of dying man.
Center, dying man in bed, his lust shown above. Right, an angel stands in
sorrow.

Soeborg. c.1491. (M-K 23-138) Judgment. Sect 3, west arch. Christ, with
cross nimbus, lilies left and sword right from mouth, hands shoulder high
palms out, showing wounds in hands, side and feet, seated on a rainbow, orb,
surmounted by cross, between feet. Left, BVM, with nimbus, left hand at bare
breast. Lower left, buildings of Heaven. Right, John B., with nimbus, hands,
palms together, in prayer, clad in skins, kneeling. Lower right, devil drags
soul into mouth of Hell.

Tingsted. c.1480. Elmelunde Workshop. (M-K 25-049) Devil. Sect 2, north
arch, left pendentive. Devil plagues woman churning.

Tuse. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. (M-K 25-109) Damned into Hell. Sect 2,
north arch. Far left, devil pushes woman towards Hell in a wheelbarrow.
Upper left, devil carries damned soul to hell on his back. Center, devil,
using club, drives group of damned, encircled by a rope held by devil in
Hell mouth. In the group, a bishop, two monks and three kings. Right, Hell
mouth, flames gushing forth.

Tuse. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. (M-K 25-114) Devil. Sect 2, north arch,
left pendentive. Devil taps woman as she taps keg.
NOTE I found this later.
William of Whetely, from Stamford in England, wrote his lectures on
Boethius' De discipline. In this he says;
"The fifth part of the menstruum flows from a woman for ten days after a
birth.  . . .  Now this material is so poisonous that if it be poured out on
the roots of a tree, or be expelled in the urine, that tree will grow no
more. And  again, if a dog or some other animal shall eat from that spot, it
will swiftly suffer disorientation of the mind."
Here we see a devil collecting this fluid to kill orchards and drive
domestic animals mad. Tuse. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop.

Tuse. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. (M-K 25-115) Devil. Sect 2, north arch,
right pendentive. Devils plague woman churning.

(M-K 25-121) St. Michael with scales. Sect 2, south arch, right pendentive.
St. Michael, with nimbus, vexillum in right hand, scales in left. Devils try
to pull down scales.

Tybjerg. c.1440. (M-K 26-038) Damned into Hell. Sect 1, south arch. Left,
devil rides man towards hell. Center, above, devil with antlers carries two
women towards Hell. Center, below, devil with scourge drives damned into
Hell mouth. Right, above, devil blowing horn held in right hand, uses rake
in left to pull damned into Hell mouth. Another devil throws souls into Hell
mouth.
NOTE Please go to my web site
www.danish-medieval-art.net
and find the article on Cerrunos.

Tybjerg. c.1440. (M-K 26-043) St. Michael with scales. Sect 1, west arch.
Upper left, devil holds soul by right arm, Michael by left. Left, Lawrence,
grid in right hand places cup with his ashes on scale with left. Two devils
try to weigh down scale. Right, angel with sword threatens devil who tries
to seize soul.

Tyvelse. c.1225-50. (M-K 26-058) Salvator Mundi. Apse, north wall. Christ
flanked by apostle row. Christ, with cross nimbus, right hand, three fingers
extended, in blessing, left hand holds book on lap, seated on a rainbow,
feet on second rainbow, orb below second rainbow, enclosed in mandorla.
Left, two figures with nimbi. Right, four figures with nimbi. Geometric
border above and below Above, c.1425, Late Gothic, devil plagues woman.

Taagerup. c.1425. (M-K 26-089) Crucifixion. West arch. Far left, executioner
cuts legs of good thief with halberd. Left, good thief on tau cross, angel
takes his soul. Center left, Mary Magdalene with ointment jar, BVM,
fainting, supported by man. Longinus, pointing to eyes, spear guided by
another, thrusts into side of Christ. Man offers Christ sponge on end of
staff. Christ, with cross nimbus and crown of thorns, bleeding from head,
hands, side and feet. Center right, man with sword, scroll in left hand,
text. Vere filius dei erat iste. Group of soldiers. Far right, executioner
cuts legs of bad thief with halberd, devil takes soul.

Udby, Praesto. c.1400. (M-K 27-003) St. Michael and Fall of Lucifer. South
wall. Michael, with nimbus, seen with others with nimbi in medallion.
Michael thrusts spear from medallion into dragon Lower right. Dragon, bat's
wings, two feet, snake's tail. Far right, devils fall from Heaven.

Udbyneder. c.1500-25. (M-K 27-026) Damned into Hell. Sect 1, south arch.
Upper left, devil flies with soul on back. Left, devil flies carrying club.
Lower left, devil pushes damned into Hell. Center, above, two devils, below,
mouth of Hell. Right, devil with wooden leg.

Undloese. c.1460. Union Workshop. (M-K 27-057) St. Stephen. Sect 2, south
arch, left. Left, woman in bed with newborn child. Center left, devil gives
new born child to devil in tree.

Undloese. c.1460. Union Workshop. (M-K 27-058) St. Stephen. Sect 2, south
arch, right. Man in papal tiara retrieves child, with nimbus, from devil in
tree.

Veljby, Aarhus. c.1490. (M-K 28-041) Devil. Choir, north arch. Devil plagues
woman. Center, woman churning is plagued by devil. Left, two devils carry
basket by rod put through loops, rod on their shoulders. Right, a female
flagellant with birches and scourge, shows bare breasts.

Vinderslev. c.1480. (M-K 29-008) Judgment. Sect 1, east arch. Christ, with
cross nimbus, lilies left and sword right from mouth, hands shoulder high
palms out, seated on a rainbow, feet on orb, flanked by angels. Left, BVM,
with nimbus, bare breast in right hand, kneeling. Far left, angel with
musical instrument. Right, John B., with nimbus, hands, palms together, in
prayer, kneeling. Far right, devil seizes soul.

Viskinge. c.1425. (M-K 29-012) Crucifixion. Sect 1, east arch. Far left,
good thief on tau cross, angel takes his soul. Left, BVM, fainting, is
tended by group of three with nimbi, two without. Center left, Longinus,
aided by second figure, thrusts lance into side of Christ. Center, Christ,
with cross nimbus and crown of thorns, bleeding from head, hands, side and
feet. Center right, group of people, without nimbi. Far right, bad thief,
devil takes his soul.

Vraa. c.1500. (M-K 29-064) Damned into Hell. South arch. Left, devil drives
bishop and another figure towards Hell. Center, devil with wooden leg with
soul. Far right, mouth of Hell.

Vraa. c.1500. (M-K 29-065) Morality. West arch. Center, the old man dies,
attended by the servant. An angel takes hand of soul in left hand, raises
sword to strike at devil, right, who tries to seize soul. left, another maid
pours out the liquor from pitcher into cup. The young wife has her arms
around the waist of her lover who is running his hands through the old man's
money chest. Scroll above, text. Vordh thy ey adh han er doth, men vi hawe
thy guld sa roedh. Rough translation. "You may be dead, but your gold is
red".

Oerslev, Soroe. c.1325. (M-K 30-022) Donor picture. East wall, left. Top
row. Far left, man with shield. Left, man kneeling, presents church to
Christ. Right, Christ, with nimbus, right hand pointing up, left hand breast
high, palm in, seated. Middle row, woman with pitcher at keg, devil plaguing
her, first devil throws feces into pitcher. Bottom row, left, scourging,
first executioner, part lost, sticks tongue out at Christ. Center, Christ,
with cross nimbus, facing pillar, hand tied in front of pillar. Right,
second executioner. Right, deposition, left, Mary Magdalene with ointment
jar, center left, BVM, with nimbus, holds body of Christ. Center, Christ,
with cross nimbus. Right, man on ladder holds left arm of Christ.

Aagerup. c.1500. (M-K 31-006) Devil. Sect 2, north arch, left pendentive.
Two devils plague a woman who sits, spinning.

Aagerup. c.1500. (M-K 31-029) Temptation of Christ. Sect 3, west arch,
center. Christ, with cross nimbus, stands on top of mountain, facing devil
with stones in hands. Three temptations in one scene.

Aastrup. c.1480. Elmelunde Workshop. (M-K 31-105) Devil. Woman rides devil,
sitting backward, holding devil's tail in left hand, birches raised to
strike in right.

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