The Harrowing of Hell: Christ thrusts a cross-staff into the mouth of the bound demon Death while trampling it underfoot as, with his other hand, he rescues the first man, Adam, from eternity in the netherworld. Early 12th century Norman or Romanesque sculpture above north doorway of Cotswolds Parish Church of St Swithin at Quenington, Gloucestershire, England, UK.
Quenington, Gloucestershire, England, UK: The Harrowing of Hell ... this 12th century sculpture over the north door of the Cotswolds Parish Church of St Swithin, portrays Christ descending into Hades to bring salvation and liberation to the souls held captive there since the world began. Jesus is depicted trampling the bound demon Death while forcing a cross-staff into its mouth. With his other hand, Christ pulls the first man, Adam – the first of three smaller figures signifying a crowd – from an inverted leonine head representing Hell. The scene is illuminated by a flaming sun. The Harrowing of Hell, also known as the Descent into Hell or Anastasis, has deep and early origins in Christian theology and art: the apocryphal Gospel of Nicodemus or Acts of Pilate. It appears in the New Testament and was depicted in Byzantine art. In Britain, it featured in Old English (Anglo-Saxon) and Middle English (Norman) literature, although the term 'harrowing' was not used until 1000 AD. The north and south doorways of St Swithin's are among Britain's finest examples of Romanesque sculpture and the church enjoys Grade I Listed Building protection. The south doorway features Europe's earliest example of a Coronation of the Virgin scene still in its original location. Both portals are richly sculpted with Norman or Romanesque devices such as beakheads and zigzag chevron or dogtooth moulding. Quenington, east of Cirencester and north of Fairford, appears in the Domesday Book of 1086 as Qvenintone, from an Old English word meaning 'the women's town or settlement' (the word 'queen' has the same derivation). The church, founded circa 1100 AD, passed in 1138 to St Peter's Abbey in Gloucester and then in 1193 to the Knights Hospitaller military order.
Size: 4256px × 2832px
Location: Quenington, Gloucestershire, England, UK
Photo credit: © Terence Kerr / Alamy / Afripics
License: Royalty Free
Model Released: No
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