Härkeberga church is probably among the most beautiful churches with middle-ages frescoes in Sweden.
It made our first winter time day as we encountered the first snow on the country roads to get there.
The church was built in the XIVth century. The paintings in the church are from around 1480 and are attributed to Albertus Pictor. They are in their original status. When the reform hit Sweden in the XVIIth century, many church frescoes were covered with white paint, but not in Härkeberga.
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| Härkeberga church |
This crucifix is from the original church!
The ceiling represents scene of the Bible old testament. The motives are directly inspired from the
Biblia Pauperum printed at the same period in Germany.
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| An hour glass on the pulpit |
The wheel of fortune is a motive that Albertus Pictor has painted in eleven churches. The text says "Regno, Regnabo, Regnavi, Sum sine regno" translating as "I will reign, I reign, I have reign, I no longer reign". On the upper left, a blind guy carries a legless cripple.
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| The vault in the entrance off the church |
Below are details of the frescoes on the vaut of the entrance.
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| The wheel of fortune |
Below is Saint George slaying the dragon. Just above appear Eva (on left) and Adam (on right) after having been expelled from heaven, working hard for their life. On the upper left corner is Eva still in heaven.
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| Saint Georges slaying the dragon |
The Virgin Mary below is represented over a crescent of moon and surrounded by sun rays.
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| Virgin Mary feeding Jesus |
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| Samson tearing the lion apart with bare hands |
Jonah and the big fish is an episode in the Book of Jonas of the bible. Jonah disobey God and try to escape by sailing away. God sends a strong storm, and the sailors are throwing Jonah in the sea and stop the storm. Jonah is swallowed by a big fish and rejected ashore after three days. This painting is very much inspired from the
Biblia Pauperum.
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| Jonah and the whale |
The scene below represents
Daniel in the lions' den, an episode in the Bible in the Book of Daniel. In fact, the painting by Albertus Pictor represents the episode as described in apocryphal stories and takes place later. Daniel (on the right) is thrown in the lions' den for having poisoned the snake-dr
agon of Bēl in Babylone. He survives for 6 days untouched by the lions, fed by the minor pro
phet Habacuc that an angel pull by his hairs and brings to feed Daniel. Then Cyrus (with the crown on the left), convinced of the powers of Daniel's God, throws in turn the priests of Bēl in the pit. Note that Albertus Pictor had probably never seen a lion...
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| Daniel in the lions' den |
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| Moses crossing the red sea |
In the Genesis, Noah is considered the first man to have tested wine and to become drunk, laying down naked. His three sons are witnessing the scene and get ashamed. But Noah. Exegetes have dismissed Noah of any sin since as the first man to have drunk wine, he could not know its effect.
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| Noah's drunkenness |
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| Abraham sacrificing Isaac |
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| Joseph and Mary's betrothal |
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| Jesus baptism |
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| Elias ascencion |
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| Cain |
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| Albertus Pictor self portrait |
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| The central vault |
Below are a few pictures showing the details of some of the animals appearing on the paintings.
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| Camel? |
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| Elephant? |
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You have seen more than me. I must come back!The most marvellous chapel I have visited!!
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