A triangular miracle

In the first half of the 15th century, "Unionsmesteren" ("The Union Master") knew the recipe. With his painter's gear, he toured the churches of the Kalmar Union countries (Denmark and Sweden) - thus his nickname. He also passed by Undloese Church in Sealand where his picture Resurrection still shines clearly in the arch right above the altar.

Are you asleep?
The Resurrection is a key scene in The New Testament. Death is no longer a major player and Jesus Christ rises from the grave. Unionsmesteren used the triangular bay in the vault to underline the hierarchical setup: the victorious Christ at the top and the dull, unenlightened soldiers underneath. And he uses the image field all the way to the frame. Observe how Christ rests his foot on the arch in the bottom of the vault. It's as if he is on his way to enter the church. The story comes alive and comes close to us. Note also the individual features and lifelike characters of the soldiers. They help to capture our attention: You aren't asleep down there on the pew, are you?

But it is not an everyday event that takes place above the altar. Unionsmesteren indicates this by letting a red ornament meander down from the top wind around Christ - as fiery tongues or a burning glory. A striking and artful description of the Holy Spirit carefully lifting Christ out of the dark, humid grave and into eternity.

The Holy Bible as a cartoon
In the Nordic area, the first frescos appear in the 12th century. The picture stories were a help for the many illiterate and unlettered churchgoers. All those who did not understand the Latin that was preached. The paintings acted as a kind of cartoon, making the biblical teachings more acceptable. In the myriad of frescos in Danish churches, sometimes there are these special pearls painted with a fantastic sense of imagery and an unusually lively line. This is how Unionsmesteren painted.

Trine Moeller Madsen is a writer on art and cultural affairs and an author. Among her works is "KUNST" ("Art") (Gyldendal, 2004), a textbook on image analysis for the oldest students in the Danish Folkeskole.