Passion of Jesus Christ: The Descent into Limbo
1400s
Medium
engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 14.7 × 10.5 cm · mat size: 36.3 × 24.5 cm
Classification
Department
Prints
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Gift of Leonard C. Hanna Jr.
Accession Number
1922.477
Tags
About this artwork
Christ is shown preparing to enter the doorway leading to limbo, the first circle of hell, in order to redeem the Old Testament saints. The door has symbolically broken from its hinges, crushing Satan beneath. Christ grasps Adam, now old and gray, by the wrist, accompanied by Eve and other Old Testament righteous ones. The artist has creatively depicted a variety of demons who glare helplessly at Christ.
About the Artist
Master AG (German)
**German, Franconia (active ca. 1485–1500)** was an anonymous artist from the Franconian region of northern Bavaria, Germany, renowned for his contributions to late Gothic graphic arts. Little is known of his early life or training, as details about many anonymous masters from this era remain undocumented. Franconia, with its vibrant artistic centers like Nuremberg, fostered a rich tradition of re...