Showing posts with label Wall Images. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Wall Images. Show all posts

4/24/09

Frank Eliscu, Saint Christopher Chapel

New York City, 1962, wood.

Menetou-Couture (Cher), Church Saint-Caprais

Saint Christopher, 15th century.

Saint Ethelburt Church, Thurton, Norfolk

Early 16th century.

St Mary and All Saints Church, Willingham

Mid 14th century.

Gothem Church, Island of Gotland, Sweden

The church in the town of Gothem on the Swedish Island of Gotland features this wall painting, which depicts (from left to right) the Pope, St. Christopher, baby Jesus, and Mohammed. According to this scholarly paper (pdf file), "An early example of how Muhammad was used in the early reformation comes from a wall painting in the Gothem church on Gotland (an island situated on the East coast of Sweden) from the middle of the 16th century. The painting depicts St Christopher, Jesus as a child, the Pope and Mohammad. St Christopher caries the child on his shoulder, saving it from the water in which the Pope and Muhammad perish. How do we understand this painting? The propaganda is directed towards Catholicism. The drowning, nameless pope is humiliated by being associated with Muhammad and Islam; the false prophets perish together."

The photos seen here were taken by a Danish photographer and originally posted on a site that is no longer online.

Link.

Llanynys, Wales, Cistercian Way

Saint Christopher.

Dorchester Abbey, Oxon

St Christopher and the Christ child

During the redecoration of the Abbey in 2003/4 patches of colour were noticed on the south wall of the Shrine Chapel. One of these, to the left of the westernmost window, above the horizontal stone rail (the string course), was uncovered in 2006 to reveal a huge, but rather indistinct, painting of St Christopher,14 foot tall.

Christopher means 'Christ – bearer'. The legend tells of a child who asks to be carried across a river; as the journey progresses he becomes increasingly heavy. The child then reveals himself as Christ and tells Christopher that he has carried the weight of the world on his shoulders. Christopher is the patron saint of travellers who believed that if they saw his image they would not die that day. His image would have been one of the first things pilgrims would have seen when approaching the Birinus shrine.

The clearest part of the painting is the Christ child seated on St Christopher's left shoulder, holding an orb in his left hand and giving the blessing with his right. The outline of St Christopher's head is clear as is his dark beard. Evidence was found of at least three phases of painting; you can just make out a second, larger orb behind the present one.

Link.

Saint Christopher

14th century, Stoke Dry, Rutland.

Saint Christopher

15th century, Paston, Norfolk.

Saint Christopher

Late 15th century, Layer Marney, Essex.

Saint Christopher

14th century, Fritton (near Great Yarmouth), Norfolk.

Saint Christopher

Mid 1400's, Belton, Suffolk.

Saint Christopher

15th century, wall mural, Pickering, North Yorkshire.

The Fourteen Holy Helpers