ORB Online Encyclopedia

Danish Church Art

The Life of Jesus to Age 12

James Mills


Later Childhood of Jesus

Later Childhood of Jesus.

This document contains four topics. Two of the themes are Biblical, the Flight to Egypt and Jesus in the Temple at Age 12. The other two are the Miracle of the Swiftly Growing Grain, and Jesus going to school

Flight to Egypt

Ferring. c.1100. English style. (M-K 08-068). Flight to Egypt. North wall, right half. Left, Joseph, with nimbus, holds halter of donkey. Right, BVM, with nimbus, riding donkey, holds Child. Child, with cross nimbus.

Fjenneslev. c.1175-1200. (M-K 08-082). Flight to Egypt. Chancel wall, right. left, figure. Center, BVM, with nimbus, seated on donkey, holds Child. Child, with cross nimbus. Right, Joseph, with nimbus, leads donkey.

Eskilstrup. c.1300. (M-K 07-085). Flight to Egypt. Choir, north wall. Left half covered by later construction. Torso of BVM from waist down, sitting side saddle on donkey with rug for saddle. Joseph with jew's hat, walks ahead, leading donkey. Ornamental border.

Keldby. c.1325. (M-K 14-036). Flight to Egypt. North wall, fourth row. Left, flight to Egypt. BVM, with nimbus, holds Child, with nimbus, side saddle on donkey. Right, Joseph, with jew's hat, traveling staff in right hand, leads donkey with left. right, unidentified figure with nimbus.

Oerslev, Soroe. c.1325. (M-K 31-044). Flight to Egypt. South wall, right. Top, Flight to Egypt. Left, city building with stork on chimney. Center left, BVM, with nimbus, holding Child, with nimbus, riding donkey lead by Joseph. Joseph, right, clothes hung on staff over left shoulder leads donkey. Middle, fantasy animal and lion. Bottom, poor condition, fragments, left, man with club threatens horse tied to tree. Right, left, two women tends crowned woman. Right, figure plays stringed instrument.

Svaerdborg. c.1375-1400. (M-K 23-032). Flight to Egypt. Choir, west arch. Massacre of the Innocents and flight to Egypt. Top, soldier kills child. Right, Herod, crowned, scepter in left hand, sits on bench. Left, BVM, holding Child, sits on donkey lead by Joseph.

Reerslev. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. (M-K 20-010). Flight to Egypt. Sect 1, west arch, left pendentive. Left, BVM, with nimbus, riding donkey, holds Child. Child, with cross nimbus. Right, Joseph, bag on staff held on left shoulder, leads donkey by rope held in right hand.

Keldby. c.1480. Elmelunde Workshop. (M-K 14-052a). Flight to Egypt. Sect 2, south arch. Left, Flight to Egypt. Left, BVM, with nimbus, holds Child, with cross nimbus, seated on donkey. Right, Joseph, carrying knapsack and water bottle, staff in left hand leads donkey. Right, creation of Eve. Left, God, with cross nimbus, hands shoulder high, palms facing, right hand, three fingers extended, in blessing. Eve, hands, palms together, in prayer, rises from slit in Adam's left side. Adam, hand under head, lies on right side.

Gislev. c.1520. (M-K 09-067). Flight to Egypt. Sect 3, east arch. Left, building. Center, BVM, with nimbus, holding Child with cross nimbus, rides donkey lead by Joseph. Right, Joseph, with nimbus, staff in left hand, leads donkey with right. Scroll between donkey and Joseph. fra Betellehem.

Oddense, Torummaler Workshop. c.1540. (M-K 20-056). Flight to Egypt. Top part. Left, male figure. Center, BVM, with nimbus, holds Child on altar. Child, nude, sits on altar, hands outstretched towards figure right. Right, figure, wearing bishop's miter, hands outstretched towards Child. Danish text, cannot read. Bottom part. Flight to Egypt. Left, BVM, with nimbus, seated on donkey, holds Child. Above BVM's head, text. maria. Right, Joseph, travel staff over left shoulder, leads donkey by rope in right hand. Far right, buildings. Danish text, illegible.

Other wall paintings in the Mills-Kronborg Collection

Elmelunde. c.1480. Elmelunde. 07-064. Flight to Egypt. Sect 2, west arch. Left, BVM, with nimbus, seated side saddle on donkey, holding Child in swaddling clothes with cross nimbus. Joseph, right, knapsack at waist, water bottle on back, staff in right hand, leads donkey with left.

Fanefjord. c.1480. Elmelunde. 08-035. Flight to Egypt. North nave, sect 3, west arch. Left, BVM on donkey lead by Joseph. She holds the Child. Child, with cross nimbus, in swaddling clothes. Right, Joseph, knapsack on belt, water bottle over shoulder, staff in left hand, leads donkey with left.

Jetsmark. c.1474.13-023. Flight to Egypt. Poor condition.

Lillebraende. c.1300. 16-019. Flight to Egypt. Left over alter. Poor condition. Left, BVM, with nimbus, holds Child with nimbus, BVM riding donkey. Right, Joseph, staff in hand. Between BVM and Joseph, unidentified object.

Tingsted. c.1480. Elmelunde Workshop. 25-042. Flight to Egypt. Sect 1, west arch. Left, BVM, with nimbus, holding Child, riding donkey lead by Joseph. Child, with cross nimbus, in swaddling cloths. Right, Joseph, dressed for travel, leads donkey.

Tuse. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. 25-103. Flight to Egypt. Sect 1, west arch, left pendentive. Left, BVM, with nimbus holding Child, rides donkey lead by Joseph. Child, with cross nimbus. Joseph, staff over left shoulder, leads donkey.

Vallensved. c.1500-25. 28-009. Flight to Egypt. East arch, north wall, right. Largely lost. Flight to Egypt.

Aagerup. c.1500. 31-004. Flight to Egypt. Sect 2, north arch, left. Left, buildings of Bethlehem, surmounted by crosses. A windmill. BVM, with nimbus, holding Child in swaddling cloths, rides donkey lead by Joseph.

Aagerup. c.1500. 31-005. Flight to Egypt. Sect 2, north arch, right. Herod's soldiers prepare to pursue Holy Family

Oerslev, Soroe. c.1325. 30-044. Flight to Egypt. South wall, right, top detail. Flight to Egypt.

Images found in Danmarks kirker

Ribe, St. Katrine, XIX-749, 61, 62. Flight to Egypt, wood sculpture, pulpit. c.1591.

Esboenderup, 11-1027, 20, 21a-d. Flight to Egypt, stone sculpture, font. 1150-1250. Similar to Graested, Lille Lyngby, and Vejby.

Horbelev, VIII-1438, 8, 9. Flight to Egypt, painted wood, reredos. 1450-75.

Ringsted, St. Bendt, V-154, 39. Flight to Egypt, stone sculpture, font. 1153-64. By Sighraf.

Skelby, VIII-1364, 5-7. Flight to Egypt, stone sculpture, font. 1175-1200. By "Anonymus calcarius." Similar to a font in Angermanland in Sweden.

Childhood miracle

As I remember, the first telling of this story that I read was in the "The Carnal and the Crane". This poem was known all over Europe, translated into many languages.

As the Holy Family traveled down the road to Egypt, they passed a farmer sowing his field with grain. When Herod's soldiers came down the road that day, in pursuit of the Holy Family, they came to the same farmer who was reaping the ripe grain. They asked the farmer, "Did you see a man and his wife with a newborn child pass down this road?" The farmer replied "Nobody like that description passed down this road since I sowed this field." The soldiers abandoned the search and returned to Herod's court.

Elmelunde. c.1480. Elmelunde. (M-K 07-066). Swiftly growing grain. Sect 2, north arch. soldiers, one with spear and sword, other in plate with battle hammer, question farmer, right. Scroll. Vidisti sanctum. Farmer is reaping grain.

Other wall paintings in the Mills-Kronborg Collection.

Fanefjord. c.1480. Elmelunde. 08-034. Swiftly growing grain. North nave, sect 3, south arch. Left, soldier with crossbow and sword. second soldier, in plate, with sword and dagger. Farmer, using sickle, reaps grain.

Gislev. c.1520. 09-070. Swiftly growing grain. Sect 3, north arch. Left, three soldiers, one with sword speak to farmer, right. Farmer, sickle hooked over forearm, stands before partially reaped grain.

Jetsmark. c.1474.13-016. Swiftly growing grain. Sect 1, south arch. Swiftly growing grain. Five men, mounted, armed with sword and crossbow, speak to farmer center right, who is cutting grain..

Keldby. c.1480. Elmelunde Workshop. 14-051. Swiftly growing grain. Sect 2, east arch. Left, Massacre of the Innocents. Left, Herod, scepter in left hand. Right hand on hip, seated on bench, watches two soldiers, right, one in plate, kill children. Between soldiers, diminutive mother holds bleeding child, two children, in swaddling clothes, lie on ground. Right, swiftly growing grain. Left, two soldiers, one in plate, speak to farmer reaping grain with sickle

Moerkoev. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. 17-045. Childhood miracle. Sect 1, south arch, left pendentive. First part of story of the swiftly growing grain. Poor condition. Herod's soldiers ride in pursuit of the Holy Family.

Moerkoev. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. 17-046. Childhood miracle. Sect 1, south arch, right pendentive. Second part of story. Farmer is harvesting grain.

Tingsted. c.1480. Elmelunde Workshop. 25-039. Swiftly growing grain. Sect 1, south arch. Left, Massacre of the Innocents. Left, Herod, seated on bench, left hand raised, pointing at soldiers. Center left, woman holds child in swaddling cloths. Center, soldier, in plate, stabs child with sword. Right, soldier stabs child with knife, second child bleeding at his feet. Scroll above, text. Isti pro cristo mundo tolluntur ab illo. Right, swiftly growing grain. Left, soldier, left hand points to scroll, text. Hic semen deponitur. Right, farmer reaps grain with sickle.

Tuse. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. 25-107. Childhood miracle. Sect 1, south arch, left pendentive. Behind pulpit. Swiftly growing grain. Herod's soldiers.

Tuse. c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. 25-108. Childhood miracle. Sect 1, south arch. Right pendentive. Swiftly growing grain. Three farmers reaping grain with sickle.

Vallensved. c.1500-25. 28-006. Childhood miracle. East sect, north arch, left pendentive. Swiftly growing grain. Herod's soldiers, mounted.

Vallensved. c.1500-25. 28-007. Childhood miracle. East sect, north arch, right pendentive. Swiftly growing grain. Farmers reap grain.

Images found in Danmarks kirker

Frederiksborg Castle chapel, II-1796, 71-93, Childhood miracle swiftly growing grain, embossed metal, and cast, reredos. 1606.

Himmelev, III-652, l8. Childhood miracle: swiftly growing grain, wood sculpture, reredos. 1618. From Anders Nielsen Hatt's Workshop. Similar to Bjeverskov.

Osted, III-194. Childhood miracle: swiftly growing grain, embossed metal, baptismal dish. 1625. Dutch..

Ringsted, St. Bendt, V-154, 39. Joseph warned by angel, stone sculpture, font. 1153-64. By Sighraf.

Jesus goes to school

Tuse c.1450. Isefjord Workshop. (M-K 25-104). Christ goes to school. Sect 1, west arch, right pendentive. Left, BVM, with nimbus, urges Christ towards group of pupils and teacher. Christ, with cross nimbus, open book in hands. Right, three pupils, with open books, sit or kneel upon ground. Far right, teacher, ferule in right hand birches in left. In background, a belfry.

Jesus in the Temple, age 12

Fanefjord. c.1480. Elmelunde. (M-K 08-030). Christ in the temple age 12. North nave, sect 2, west arch. Left, Joseph with knapsack and staff. BVM, with nimbus, hands held shoulder high palms facing, sword in breast, scroll from head. Text. Fili quid fecisti nobis. Christ, with cross nimbus, seated above the doctors on either side. Left, diminutive doctor between BVM and Christ. Right, doctor, seated, shows Christ a scroll. The sword in the breast of the BVM is an iconographic convention indicating her pain and sorrow. In Them. c.1500, and in Toerring, c.1500, the BVM is shown with seven swords in her heart.

Other wall paintings in the Mills-Kronborg Collection.

Jetsmark. c.1474.13-020. Christ in temple at age 12. Sect 1, north arch. Left, man sits, hands crossed on lap, second man, seated, open book on lap, left hand raised towards Christ. Center, Christ, with cross nimbus, seated on bench on dais, open book on lap, left, two seated figures with open books on lap.

Vallensved. c.1500-25. 28-015. Christ in the temple at age 12. East sect, south wall, right. Poor condition. Christ in temple at age 12.

Aagerup. c.1500. 31-025. Christ in the temple at age 12. Sect 3, south arch. Left, Presentation in the temple. Left, Joseph holds basket with doves. Center, BVM, with nimbus, holds Child. Child, with cross nimbus, stands on altar. Right figure with bishop's miter. Far right, servant with candle. Right, Christ in temple at age 12. Center, Christ, seated on dais, flanked by scholars.

Images found in Danmarks kirker

Aal, XIX-1322, 44-58. Christ in the Temple at age 12, wood sculpture, c.1450. By the Lueneburg workshop.

Loegum klosterkirke, XXI-1096, 28-33. Christ in the Temple at age 12. painted wood, altar panel. c.1325. Similar to Rieseby in Kr. Eckernforde, in National Museum. Oldest painted altar panel in Denmark

Horbelev, VIII-1438, 8, 9. Christ in the Temple, age 12, painted wood, reredos. 1450-75.

Kyndby, II-2716, 9a. Christ in the Temple, age 12, stone sculpture, font. c.1600.

Copyright © 1998, James Mills. This file may be copied on the condition that the entire contents,including the header and this copyright notice, remain intact.


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