Descent into Hell

Artwork: Descent into Hell

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Artist: Jaume Serra

Created: 1381-82

Medium: Tempera on panel (detail)

Location: Museo Provincial de Bellas Artes, Zaragoza, Spain

Photo from Wikipedia Commons

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“An artistic disciple of the emerging Sienese style introduced to Spain by Ferrer Bassa, Jaume Serra (active 1370-95) – probably assisted by his brother and sister – painted an altarpiece for the convent of The Holy Sepulchre east for his native Barcelona, outside Zaragoza. The term “descent into hell” is from various New Testament references, particularly Peter’s First Epistle. Jesus appears in the foreground on the left side of the painting about to step into the underworld through the wide-open “gates.” In Italian and Byzantine works, the entrance to hell is a cave in rocks. In Serra’s Descent into Hell it is a zoomorphic mouth of a water monster. Adam, the oldest human resident of hell, probably offers his hand to Jesus, desperate for his one-way ticket to heaven. The always-crowned King David is notably absent – according to most accounts, he and Isaiah hold the gates open for Jesus. Above the royally clothed Jesus, the angels fondly watch over him framed by a formation of white clouds, in contrast to the horned demons in black who scamper about the monster. A descent into the underworld is a theme in other religions. Among others, Osiris of Egypt, the Hindu deity Krisha, the Aztec’s Quexalcoatl, Prometheus, and Odysseus all descended into the underworld. The image is likely to have invoked intense feelings or fear at the gruesome image of the dark and slippery fish. However, Jesus willingly descended into hell to complete the divine cycle and bring righteous men to heaven, so this image also holds out the promise of salvation.”(WM)

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