Härkeberga church

Härkeberga church is probably among the most beautiful churches with middle-ages frescoes in Sweden.

Härkeberga church, Enköping - 28 October 2018

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.

Härkeberga church, Enköping - 28 October 2018

An hour glass on the pulpit

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.

The vault in the entrance off the church

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.

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.

Saint Georges slaying the dragon

The Virgin Mary below is represented over a crescent of moon and surrounded by sun rays.

Virgin Mary feeding Jesus

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.

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-dragon of Bēl in Babylone. He survives for 6 days untouched by the lions, fed by the minor prophet 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...