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Christ in the Realm of the Dead
Joakim Skovgaard (Danish, 1856–1933)
1891-1894
- Medium
- Oil on canvas
- Classification
- Painting
- Dimensions
- height 351.5 cm, width 489 cm
- Culture
- Danish
- Museum
- SMK – National Gallery of Denmark
- Rights
- Public Domain Mark: SMK waives its rights in this photograph, as the museum states it.
- Who can see it
- Teens profiles and older: its subject is for older viewers (war, death, the Passion, drink or the like). How works are placed
View at the SMK – National Gallery of Denmark
About this work
After the crucifixion Christ descends into the realm of the dead to release the lost souls. With Adam and Eve at the vanguard, the dead reach out towards the lightbringer, who treads the symbols of death underfoot. Skovgaard was inspired by Grundtvig’s retelling (1837) of Caedmon’s Old English poem about the storm on Hell: “Tonight a Knock was Heard at the Gates of Hell”. Skovgaard regarded art as a calling and believed the fine arts should work for God and Christianity. In a personal testimony he insists on Christ as an almighty and vital force still capable of fighting titanic battles for mankind’s sake. Employing the pathos of history painting and simple, decorative lines Skovgaard creates a genuinely compelling image, demonstrating how figure painting can still feel relevant.
