It is composed of three pictures. On the right, Salome is performing a
"Tumble" dance before Herod, his queen, and two guests, while St John the
Baptist is holding up a warning hand: In the centre, Salome has the head
of St John in a charger, and on the left the execution is shown.
[_The Copyright is reserved by Dr John L. Kirk._]
]
The long and narrow series of pictures over the arches represents the
seven corporal acts of mercy, namely, feeding the hungry, giving drink to
the thirsty, compelling a stranger to come in, clothing the naked,
visiting those in prison, visiting the sick, and burying the dead.
Continuing in the same line appear representations of Christ in the Garden
of Gethsemane, healing the ear of Malchus, Christ before Pilate, the
scourging of our Lord, and then follow scenes of the Crucifixion, followed
by the burial and resurrection. In the spandrel over the third pillar from
the west the descent of Christ into Hades, represented by a great dragon's
jaw, is shown. Adam holding an apple, and followed by Eve and many other
spirits, is shown coming to meet our Lord. Between the clerestory windows
there are three paintings which seem to belong to a series associated with
the Virgin Mary. The first, which may represent the Assumption, has not
been restored, and very little remains to be seen. The second, according
to Mr Keyser, shows the burial, and on the coffin appears the Jewish
Prince Belzeray, who is said to have interfered with the funeral by
raising himself astride the coffin. The legend says that he became fixed
to the pall, and only escaped after repentance and the united prayers of
the apostles.
Of the third picture only a portion remains, the upper part being new
plaster, but the figures of some of the apostles who are shown may have
been standing by the deathbed of the Virgin. The coronation scene already
mentioned on the north side of the nave would thus complete a series of
four pictures.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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